Survivor: Konoha
by Gomamon
Summary: Sixteen castaways, all from different anime series, will embark on the adventure of a lifetime. For the next thirty nine days, they will have to survive the wilderness as well as each other. Who can outwit, outplay, outlast? Who will be the Sole Survivor?
1. Episode 1: Ingénue

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**The Premise:**_

_Sixteen castaways, all from different anime series, will embark on the adventure of a lifetime. For the next thirty nine days, they will have to survive the wilderness as well as each other. Who can outwit, outplay, outlast? Who will be the Sole Survivor?_

_**The Cast:**_

Jiraiya Tribe : **Asuka** _(Neon Genesis Evangelion)_, **Bulma** _(Dragonball Z)_, **Faye** _(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Guy** _(Naruto)_, **Harley** _(Pokemon)_, **Holland** _(Eureka Seven)_, **Kari** _(Digimon)_, **Keitaro** _(Love Hina)_

Tsunade Tribe : **Kurz** _(Full Metal Panic!)_, **Mai** _(Yu-gi-oh)_, **Meryl** _(Trigun)_, **Mina** _(Sailor Moon)_, **Orihime** _(Bleach)_, **Roy** _(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon** _(Scrapped Princess)_, **Zolo** _(One Piece)_

- - -

**Episode One: Ingénue**

**- - -**

**PROLOGUE**

Meryl Stryfe took a deep breath before she opened her eyes.

The pleasant sight of a healthy green meadow eased her initial nervousness, if only by a little. Here she stood in the middle of an unknown forest, miles away from the nearest civilization. This was Konoha, home to many predatory animals and deadly wildlife that she could not yet see. Despite doing the necessary mental preparation beforehand, the idea of living in such a primitive environment for the next thirty nine days still overwhelmed her. Taking the inevitable danger, starvation, and discomfort into account, she felt as if she will never be ready to play this game.

_At least the scenery is nice._ Meryl thought to herself with a faint smile.

The petite woman stood next to fifteen others – her competitors for the one million dollar prize. Meryl studied their faces carefully until her eyes laid upon a young bespectacled man. Sensing that she was nervous, he flashed an empathetic grin at her. For some reason, this gesture comforted Meryl tremendously, almost as if he had placed an imaginary hand on her shoulder. At the very least, she was glad another player felt just as apprehensive as her.

Once the game of _Survivor_ began, the sixteen castaways will be pitted against each other in a war of deception, betrayal, and chaos. Many dreams will be crushed. Many promises will be broken. Meryl did not look forward to these cruel aspects of the competition, yet she knew she had to conquer her fears in order to win a million dollars.

Worst case scenario, she would have to get a little ruthless.

But for now, Meryl Stryfe enjoyed her final moment of peace before the game officially began.

- - -

Standing on top of the grassy hill was Iruka Umino, the host of _Survivor: Konoha_. Not much was known about this youthful looking man, other than the fact that he was a schoolteacher during his everyday life. His gentle face was distinguished by a long horizontal scar above his nose. Iruka smiled cheerfully at the castaways as he jogged towards the group. In an astonishing demonstration of speed, he arrived at his destination seconds later.

"Sorry, it's the ninja blood in me." Iruka laughed, attempting to explain his agile entrance to a group of awestruck players.

His remark induced a hearty chuckled from another man in the crowd. Iruka recognized this person as a fellow native ninja from Konoha. His name was Might Guy, or more affectionately known as Guy-sensei to his students. Strong and knowledgeable, this man with the hometown advantage was the odds-on favourite to win the entire competition.

"Welcome to Konoha, home to the most legendary ninjas around the world!" Iruka chirped in a cheery voice, "You're standing on the outskirts of the village in one of its many nameless forests. Your adventure of a lifetime will take place here." The host paused as he narrowed his eyes at the castaways. "Let me remind you that _Survivor_ is a challenging game meant to push you beyond your limits. The wilderness is full of unforgiving surprises. If you aren't careful, be prepared to face some dire consequences."

His last remark made several players worried, including Meryl, who already felt like a fish out of water. What was she doing here? Why was she putting herself through this horrible experience?

"Without further ado, let's divide the sixteen of you into two separate tribes." Iruka relaxed his facial features, allowing a more comfortable smile to appear. "The first tribe is called Jiraiya, named after the famous sannin of Konoha. The members of this tribe will always be represented by the colour orange. When I call out your name, please step forward to receive your official _Survivor_ buff."

The first name called out was **Asuka**. A skinny teenage girl of German descent marched forward. With fiery red hair and piercing blue eyes, there was something intense about Asuka Langley Soryu's appearance that made her stand out in any crowd. As a child prodigy and an EVA pilot at the age of fourteen, she felt proud of the many accomplishments in her life – and she was certainly not afraid to flaunt them.

* * *

_"It was only fitting that my name was called out first, as all victorious names were. And you know I've this game in the bag, right? Let's face it, does Asuka Langley Soryu sound like a losing name to you? Hmph, I didn't think so!"_ Asuka paused in the middle of her video confessional. She shot the camera a confident smirk, perhaps daring it to refute her claims.

The first player of Survivor: Konoha was confident to the point of her arrogance, and even her arrogance was on the borderline of sheer delusion. Nonetheless, Asuka had already proven that she would be a prominent player in this competition. One simply could not ignore her. _"The momentum is already set. I'm not going to lose to anybody. This game…is mine."_

_

* * *

_

Next was **Bulma** Briefs, a mother of two beautiful teenage children. Dressed stylishly from head to toe, the self-employed inventor and entrepreneur did not look a day over fifty. Despite her youthful appearance, Bulma was actually the oldest castaway in the game, a fact that bothered her more than it should have. The spunky middle-aged woman sauntered towards Iruka, carrying a stride that appeared oddly intimidating. After receiving a buff, she joined Asuka on the bright orange mat. The two women exchanged icy glares with each other, behaving as if they were vicious predators examining over their prey.

The third woman to join Jiriaya was **Faye** Valentine, a gorgeous bombshell with a smoking body that made many heads turn for a second look. The Singaporean beauty ignored their lecherous glances for now. Any woman blessed with the gene pool such as Faye was used to having men gawk at her like an exotic animal. Right now, she was more concerned about the layout of her tribe, which was shaping more and more like an exclusively female tribe. A group of women together was just troublesome, Faye concluded, although she didn't enjoy the company of men much either.

Jiraiya received its first male member in the form of a colourful character named Might **Guy**. His bowl-shaped haircut, accompanied by his unflattering green jumpsuit, already earned him several snickers from the other castaways. Had he not looked so tall and muscular, most people would have dismissed the boisterous Konoha ninja as an ugly joke. Nonetheless, he maintained a jovial attitude as he jogged towards Iruka and received a buff. Guy was never somebody who let other people's notions of him bring his spirits down.

"Dynamic entry to _Survivor_!" Guy exclaimed enthusiastically, pumping his fist high into the air. It was such an odd and out-of-the-blue remark that most players burst into simultaneous laughter. Almost everybody was laughing, except for the three women in his tribe. None of them looked particularly enthused to share a tribe with such a vibrant character. Asuka was already rolling her eyes.

As if Guy was not flamboyant enough, **Harley** was about to turn the theatrical dial to the maximum level. Ordinary people just walked, but he designed his entrance like it was an extraordinary spectacle. Roll out the red carpet, bring out the flash cameras, because here comes the star! Nobody could take their eyes off the Pokemon Coordinator, who thrust his hips and twisted his legs in every step. His extravagant mannerisms left an impression on all of the castaways, both favourable and judgmental. Regardless of differing responses, Harley appeared to enjoy the attention. After receiving a buff, he paraded his way to the Jiraiya mat, mumbling a singsong tune under his breath.

The next player could be described as a beanpole due to his tall and lanky structure, although **Holland** Novak would not appreciate the impertinent comparison. After all, he had been a renowned athlete, a military icon, and a respected leader during his prime. Yet, his balding hair and dopey blue eyes were subtle indicators that youth was slowly escaping him. Holland still carried hints of authority on his stern and rugged face though, while most castaways viewed him with either fear or respect, just as he had wanted.

**Kari** Kamiya was the seventh person to join the Jiraiya tribe. The moment she stepped forward, several players already dismissed her as a serious contender. They didn't expect a girl who looked so innocent and fragile would survive in such a cutthroat game. Kari was determined to prove these assumptions wrong, even if she happened to be the youngest player in Survivor: Konoha. Despite her age, she experienced her share of adventure and hazards in the Digital World that would make most others' lives pale in comparison.

"Hey, you're just dividing us alphabetically!" Kari exclaimed to the host.

"I guess you figured out the pattern, huh?" Iruka laughed as he handed the DigiDestined a bright orange buff.

* * *

_"I'm the youngest castaway out here, so I come into this game with a lot of handicaps."_ Kari smiled faintly at the cameras. She didn't have a soft-spoken voice per se, but there was something very gentle and pleasant about her speaking pattern. _"My worst fear is to be judged on the spot. I don't want my tribe to think I'm an easy scapegoat just because I'm the physically weakest person. If they do think that, my days are numbered."_

Her expression grew sterner. It had crossed her mind many times that she would most likely be the first person voted off. In fact, most of her friends and family doubted she'll last more than a week. Even Kari didn't have a lot of confidence in herself, although it didn't hurt to try. This was her number one goal in this game. She was just going to try her best, no matter how far that mindset will take her. _"For my strategy, I'm going to stay under the radar for a while. Don't get noticed, don't get involved, and don't give them any reason to vote me out."_

_

* * *

_

Last but not least, **Keitaro** was the final member to step forward. He was an ordinary looking man who stumbled out of the crowd, wearing an awkward smile on his bespectacled face. In his everyday life, the twenty-year-old student worked as the manager of an all-girls dormitory. After receiving a buff, Keitaro joined the rest of his tribe on the orange mat, thus completing the Jiraiya tribe.

As Asuka scanned over her tribe members with a pair of critical eyes, she felt thoroughly unimpressed with her tribe members. The last two additions were the worst in her opinion. Kari and Keitaro looked like two weaklings who will contribute little to the tribe's physical strength. And then, there were some weirdos and a couple of old farts as well. All in all, Jiraiya resembled a gathering of misfits rather than an actual competent tribe.

_I'm the only normal person here. I'll have to carry this tribe by myself._ Asuka thought, already feeling a heavy burden on her shoulders.

Jiraiya was looking more and more like the losing tribe. And it was definitely not a tribe that the great Asuka Soryu Langley thought she was destined to belong.

- - -

"Now, we'll assemble the Tsunade tribe, which is named after the fifth Hokage of the Konoha village." Iruka said, while holding up a dark green buff. It was identical to what Jiraiya received other than the obvious difference in colour. "These tribe members will always be represented by the colour green. Once again, when I call out your name, please step forward to receive your buff."

The first person to join Tsunade was **Kurz** Weber. He was a dashing young man with shoulder-length blonde hair and dreamy blue eyes. Since _Survivor_ began, he had not taken his gaze off the women. Kurz couldn't help it – he just loved the female species. While every woman here was gorgeous in his opinion, it was the voluptuous Faye who captured his attention the most with her _rockin'_ body. It wasn't clear whether the sensation he felt was attributed to love at first sight, or just sheer lust. Naturally, he was disappointed to be placed on a separate tribe from the beautiful bounty huntress. Nonetheless, he wore a light-hearted expression as he stepped forward and received his buff.

The next player was also a blonde, but this time she came in the form of a foxy female. Her skimpy outfit barely covered her body and left nothing to the imagination. Then again, **Mai** Valentine had never been a very subtle dresser. She cast a playful wink at Iruka as she sashayed towards him, attracting even more unnecessary attention onto herself. The host looked rather flustered, obviously uncomfortable with the flirtatious woman's advances. For some reason, this widened the triumphant smile on Mai's face, almost as if she had won a silent battle.

Feeling slightly less confident was **Meryl** Stryfe, who tried her best to look calm and collected in front of the other players. The petite insurance agent held her head high, kept her back straight, and maintained a womanly poise that few others could accomplish. She broke into a tiny nervous smile as she walked up to Iruka, because she knew the game would begin the instant she received a buff. Some of the friendly faces she saw right now might belong to the vilest people she would ever meet. Meryl only hoped that she will be prepared no matter what obstacles _Survivor_ threw at her.

One look at **Mina** Aino and many people noticed that her radiant smile was beaming with positive energy. The teenager looked by far the most cheerful out of all the players, and several stern expressions loosened just by the presence of such a lively girl. However, a careful observer might recognize a flicker of mischief twinkling in her big baby blue eyes. It wasn't a malicious look, but rather it was an insightful reminder that Mina may not be as innocent as she appeared.

* * *

_"I like to have fun, but I'm not your stereotypical dumb blonde." _Mina winked playfully at the camera. She was on the volleyball team in high school, and would go on to become one of those sorority sisters in college. _"I'm a pretty easygoing gal, so I won't have problems getting along with people on my tribe. And as clichéd as this sounds, I'm so excited to start this adventure of a lifetime! I want to make so many new friends, I want to join all the alliances possible, and I want to win the million dollars with a big smile on my face!"_

After this confessional, Mina Aino, at the edge of seventeen, felt more than ready to tackle _Survivor: Konoha._

_

* * *

_

The final woman to join Tsunade was **Orihime** Inoue, a perky redhead distinguished by her very well-endowed bosom. As she walked towards the host, some men gazed lustfully to examine her distinct physique, although several women looked on with envy as well. Orihime appeared quite oblivious to the castaways' fascination with her body. She flashed Iruka a courteous smile as she received her buff. Afterwards, she joined Meryl and the three blondes on the dark green mat.

With the latest addition, Kurz Weber suddenly found himself grinning from ear to ear at his immense luck. He was currently sandwiched in between four women, and they were absolutely gorgeous in their various sizes and forms. It took every fibre of his body to refrain from making a pass at them, even though the thought crossed his mind numerous times. The loss of Faye seemed trivial in comparison to the position he stood right now.

If Kurz could live the rest of his life with just these four beautiful women, then he would die a very, _very_ happy man.

Kurz, however, was about to face some stiff competition in another ladies man, known as **Roy** Mustang. Even with an athletic body and a remarkably handsome face, Roy would have passed as another pretty boy except for one prominent feature: he was wearing an eye patch. It was worn in substitution of his left eye, which he lost during a fateful incident in his military duties. Many castaways were fascinated by his appearance, and Roy kind of enjoyed having a mystery surrounding his identity – especially if it helped with the ladies. Most women couldn't resist him with or without the eye patch anyway, considering his well-respected nickname of "The Flame Alchemist" in the military. He believed this title, which came along with power and prestige, was an attractive accessory for any man.

Long before Iruka called out the next name, **Shannon** Casull was already walking towards the host. The twenty-years-old swordsman would have been the most handsome person in Tsunade if he didn't look so gloomy all the time. His unenthusiastic expression alternated between indifference and mild boredom at times. He looked like a very serious guy, which contrasted with the bubbly and lively attitudes of his fellow tribe members.

_Let's just get this over with._ Shannon remarked dully to himself. He grabbed a buff without making any eye contact.

At last, Tsunade was complete with the final addition of Roronoa **Zolo**, who marched towards the host in impatient strides. He was not somebody who enjoyed waiting, nor did he think his name deserved to be called out last. Just by looking at his unpleasant scowl and his muscular (yet intimidating) physique, it seemed natural to assume that Zolo won't be an approachable type of guy. And if the castaways were smart, they would not make this guy their enemy.

"We have our two tribes, Jiraiya and Tsunade, eight members each." Iruka clapped his hands together conclusively. "Both tribes will be living in separate but identical camps. Jiraiya, your camp is located at the east. Tsunade, yours is in the west. To guide you through the forest, here are your maps and compasses." The host handed said items to Asuka and Kurz respectively. "There's one more thing I'd like to address before I send you guys away."

A mischievous smile crossed Iruka's face. He clapped his hands again. "Hidden in each campsite is an immunity idol. I can't reveal its exact location, but I can tell you that it'll add an interesting dynamic to the game. Whoever finds it may use the idol at tribal council, right after the votes have been read. The votes for said person will be dismissed, and whoever has the next highest number of votes will be sent home instead. In other words, it's a free get-out-of-jail card. It may be used at any tribal council up until the final four."

Mumbles of excitement broke out amongst the crowd, but Iruka shushed them so that he could continue with his instructions.

"Anyway, you'll find the necessary equipments when you arrive at your campsites. Just don't expect us to be generous." Iruka's smile darkened. "And one piece of advice – you better trek through the forest quickly before the sun sets. Who knows what lurks in the forest when night strikes?"

Iruka gave the sixteen players a casual shrug.

"That's it. I have nothing else for you. Good luck."

The castaways remained motionless for a while. They still expected the host to elaborate on his vague instructions. However, all Iruka offered was a friendly smile and nothing more. True to the game's motto, they would receive minimal assistance from the _Survivor_ production team. If the castaways wanted to survive in this game, they would have to rely solely on themselves.

* * *

_"All of us just stood there, staring at each other with no idea what to do next. We thought Iruka would give us more assistance, or at least a little nudge in the right direction. But that's it, no help at all."_ Meryl laughed, feeling somewhat embarrassed as she recalled what had happened. _"And at that moment, I was like…oh crap, what have I gotten myself into? I'm not cut out for this game. To be honest, I'd be surprised if I'm not voted out first."_

She continued shaking her head, but she eventually looked up at the camera with an anxious smile. _"But you know what? I'm a resourceful woman. I can find a way to survive out here. And if one way doesn't work out, I'll just try another. So yeah, I'm ready for Survivor. A little nervous, but I'm ready. Bring it on."_

_

* * *

_

- - -

**DAY 1**

According to Asuka Soryu Langley, the _Survivor_ gods must have hated her. Why else would they put her in Jiraiya, otherwise known as the pitiful excuse of a tribe?

As far as the moody teenager was concerned, she was stuck in what felt like the worst tribe ever in _Survivor_ history. She hated the name, she hated the colour, and most of all she hated her tribe members. Asuka didn't even know these people yet, but she already decided that everything and everybody in this tribe were worthy of her contempt. While Tsunade had the stronger, smarter, and infinitely more attractive people, Jiraiya consisted of the _leftovers_ that nobody wanted. They were the old and the useless. Team freaks and geeks. The bad, the worse, and the ugliest.

Why couldn't she be part of the other tribe? Why did life have to be _so_ unfair?

Asuka made these dismissive assumptions about her tribe based on shallow first impressions and physical appearances. She grew frustrated when the old woman Bulma first joined the tribe, cringed when the ugly abomination Guy joined afterwards, and almost cried when the obvious cannon fodder Keitaro rounded out the freak show. This did not resemble a successful tribe in any shape or form. This was not a tribe destined for victories or successes. This was not _her_ tribe.

Given her apparent contempt for Jiraiya, it was no surprise that Asuka made her first enemy five minutes into the game.

This development came as no surprise to anybody acquainted with the fiery teenager. She had a short temper, a sharp tongue, and an irritable personality all rolled up in one mean little package. In other words, it was already difficult enough to get along with Asuka under normal circumstances, but her flaws were magnified tenfold in the game of Survivor. The producers knowingly cast her as a train wreck character, somebody who will crash and burn as soon as the game began. And much to their delight, Asuka did not disappoint. She lived up to their expectations by getting into a heated argument early in the first morning, probably before the cameras began rolling.

It all started when fellow tribe member Bulma accidentally dropped the compass on the ground.

"Oh shit." Bulma winced a little. She quickly picked up the compass and examined the cracked glass. The inventor then looked at her tribe members with a sheepish smile. "I think it's broken. Sorry guys."

For the most part, the Jiraiya tribe was quick to forget and forgive her mistake. Sure, they were a little annoyed with what just happened, but it was the first day and everybody wanted to play the diplomatic game. Of course they were going to pretend it wasn't a big deal, even though Bulma just broke a very crucial item. Nobody was going to get angry. Nobody was going to yell at her. Nobody was going to snap and make a bad first impression. These people had enough social skills, or at least enough common sense, to understand the way they should behave in a group of strangers.

Unfortunately, nobody passed the memo to the socially inept Asuka.

"Who let the old lady hold the compass in the first place?" Asuka muttered sarcastically. It was meant to be a quiet snide remark, but she was far from discreet when she said it. Of course Bulma heard what her comment. Everybody in the tribe heard it.

"Hey, we all make mistakes sometimes, alright?" Bulma shot the teenager an annoyed glance. Old lady? Who was she calling old?

"No. Not all of us." Asuka smirked a little.

The remark was underhanded, but still harmless to a certain degree. A regular person – a happy, forgiving individual – could have laughed it off and not pursue the matter any further. Of course, Bulma did anything but that. She couldn't just pretend that she didn't hear what Asuka said behind her back, or worse, said directly to her face. She couldn't just turn the other cheek. She couldn't just keep her mouth close and not retort back.

Because like Asuka, the volatile Bulma Briefs was another train wreck waiting to happen. The Survivor producers purposely put the two most dynamic personalities on the same tribe and waited for the fireworks to crackle from there. Of course, they got what they wanted as soon as the game started.

"It was just an accident!" Bulma snapped.

"Now, it turned into an excuse." Asuka rolled her eyes.

"You're the only one who's making a big deal out of it." Bulma shot her a dirty look.

"Of course it's a big deal! How are we going to find our camp!?" Asuka exclaimed, clearly annoyed. "What were you doing with the compass in the first place!? You have no idea where we're going!"

"I was trying to help with the directions!" Bulma raised her voice at the teenager.

This exchange continued for quite a while. The two women just bickered back and forth between each other, talking a lot of smack, but neither made a whole lot of sense. As their voices raised and the insults grew more frequent, the other six tribe members looked on with concern. Well, some of them were amused with the seemingly pointless argument, but there were a few others who got a little fed up with the two harpies. Holland, in particular, was quickly losing his patience with both Asuka _and_ Bulma. He thought their energy could be diverted to a more worthwhile cause.

"Okay, time out." Holland sighed as he stepped in between the two women. They both looked up at him, somewhat frustrated. "This argument is getting us nowhere."

"She started it." Asuka immediately pointed her finger at the inventor.

"You started it, you devil girl!" Bulma hissed back.

"For crying out loud, will you two give it a rest already!?" Holland's authoritative voice silenced the two women immediately. A few people standing behind him snickered. "It's way too early for this shit. If you guys want to argue with each other, do it at a place where we can't hear your voices." He paused for a brief moment before adding, rather exasperatedly, "Please. Not right now. I didn't have my morning coffee. I'm not in the mood right now."

Asuka's lips pouted. Bulma frowned. Neither woman looked very content at the moment, but they were willing to compromise. Looking back, they were arguing over essentially nothing. May be Holland was right. May be they can settle their differences later. Besides, they weren't doing themselves any favours to the rest of the tribe. Any further arguments will only put a larger target on their backs.

* * *

_"I swear, some people are trying to lose Survivor as quickly as possible. Asuka and Bulma seem to be in a race to see who can be the first person voted out of the tribe. They aren't playing smart at all. It's like they aren't even playing a game."_ Holland deadpanned. _"Honestly, if I wanted to hear a woman nag, I would've stayed home and listen to my wife bitch at me for leaving home to live in some strange forest. And at least with Talho, we have great make-up sex afterwards, so the arguing is worth it!"_

He broke into an uncharacteristic grin. It was usually difficult to provoke any positive emotion from the Gekko State leader, but talking about his wife was one subject that always made him smile.

_"These women? They're torment to our ears twenty-four-seven! How can Jiraiya accomplish anything if we just bicker all the time?"_ A wry smile crossed his face. _"Man, these people need to pull their shit together, or our whole tribe will go down in flames."_

_

* * *

_

"Here's what we need to do. Give me the compass." Holland instructed. Bulma was more than happy to pass the item to the grey-haired man. He examined it for a few moments and nodded his head. "Just as I thought. The glass may be cracked, but the thing still works." He shot Asuka and Bulma a glance. "We can still use the compass. Crisis averted."

Asuka and Bulma stared at each other, looking dumbfounded. Their other tribe members just smiled.

"Whatever you say, leader!" Guy exclaimed.

"It sounds like a plan!" Keitaro nodded his head a few times excitedly, eager to please.

"Works for me." Faye shrugged her shoulders.

"Yep. You're the boss." Kari chimed in.

"Holland, you're so sexy when you're being smart!" Harley added with a jovial grin.

One by one, every tribe member followed suit with their words of consent. These people were just happy that the bickering had ceased, and they could have some relative peace early in the morning. Holland certainly seemed like a capable man who knew what he was doing. The whole tribe trusted him to make all the decisions around camp.

"Let's be more careful next time." Holland glanced at his tribe members.

They all nodded their heads obediently.

Just like that, a new leader had emerged in the group.

Following closely behind him were five others, all of whom felt content to obey his commands for now.

Then, there were Asuka and Bulma, who – after putting their petty conflict aside – realized they were the outsiders in the newly united Jiraiya tribe.

And on the first day of _Survivor: Konoha_, a definite pecking order was already set in stone.

- - -

Jiraiya was off to a prosperous start under the effective and efficient leadership of one Holland Novak. Once he was in possession of the tribe's map and compass, he led the group to their destination without getting lost even once. The hike would have seemed confusing and complicated to most ordinary people, but Holland's keen sense of direction was unrivalled by no other. A few of his tribe members joked that all he did was point his finger in the right direction, and he located their campsite right away.

"I thought the beginning would be a lot more difficult, but Holland did a splendid job!" Guy gushed to a nearby camera. By all means, the Konoha ninja should have been the one to lead the tribe through his homeland, but he willingly gave up the leadership role to a far more worthy candidate. Besides, as the physically strongest person here, Guy knew he could contribute in a different manner. "And it wasn't like he was bossy or anything. He consoled us at times, and he made sure nobody got left behind. Leadership just comes naturally for Holland. To be honest, I'm pretty awestruck by him. He possesses the springtime of youth!"

Guy was not the only person to sing praises about the self-appointed leader. Within the first hour of the game, almost everybody had fallen under the spell of Holland in one way or another. It was difficult to dislike somebody who knew exactly what he was doing. When Jiraiya arrived at their campsite, Holland didn't waste any time delegating the important tasks among his tribe members.

_You two, find the water hole!_

Faye and Harley mock saluted their leader and departed right away.

_You and you and you, work on the fire!_

Asuka, Bulma, and Kari rummaged through their camp supplies and found a box of matches.

_The rest of us, let's put up a shelter before the sun goes down!_

And the remaining three men did exactly that.

Some people were born natural leaders. Holland Novak was one of them. At the age of thirty, he was the second oldest castaway in the game, and arguably the most mature person out of everybody. A wise and serious man, the way he conducted himself often commanded respect from others. Whenever he spoke, people listened. Whenever he led, people followed. And whenever he commanded, people obeyed. In the first few hours of _Survivor: Konoha_, Holland was already established as the much admired captain of Jiraiya. Nobody else had any objections with this arrangement.

Except Asuka.

Once again, the moody teenager managed to create another conflict – with the same person, nonetheless.

It all started because of the fire. Or more specifically, it started because Jiraiya did not have one yet. By all means, they should have started a fire already. After all, they were given a box of matches – a luxury that few other tribes in _Survivor_ ever received. In addition, they assigned two of their brightest tribe members to the task at hand. Bulma, the self-employed inventor, wanted to worm back into her tribe's good graces after a disastrous start, so she volunteered to work on the fire by herself. "Give me thirty minute, tops." Bulma had boasted. She invented far more complicated devices and machines back at home. Building this fire should have been a piece of cake.

Unfortunately, Asuka volunteered as well. The feisty teenage prodigy also thought that she could redeem herself by building the fire. Let's not take into account that she had no experience outdoors whatsoever, but Asuka assumed her natural intelligence will take over and get the task done. At least she was intelligent enough to understand that if Bulma started this fire, then Asuka would be the one clear and definite target in the tribe. And by then, she might as well sign her death warrant at the next tribal council.

"I'm not letting you take credit for this." Asuka said tersely. She withheld the box of matches from her mortal enemy. "Don't fight me. I'm going to start the fire."

"This is so stupid! You don't even know how to make fire!" Bulma exclaimed in frustration.

"Like you do?" Asuka snarled.

"Yes, I do! I practised before coming here!" Bulma might be a city girl, but she made the necessary preparations so that she wouldn't be totally helpless in the wilderness. "Now, give up the matches, you devil girl. Don't be a child. You're just hurting the whole tribe."

Asuka shook her head. She refused to surrender ownership of the matches that weren't even hers to begin with. She was defensive. She was angry. She was confused. But she was definitely not stupid, because she couldn't let Bulma get off the hook this easily. Asuka was already thinking ahead about the next tribal council. If she was going down, then she made sure she had company.

* * *

_"I call her the 'devil girl' because I believe Asuka is the reincarnation of Satan. I see no difference between the two. She must be born in the deepest stage of hell."_ Bulma went on an angry and bitter tirade about her mortal enemy in her confessional. She never intended to make any enemies in the game, especially not on the first day. _"That petulant child is doing everything to spite me. I think she knows the damage is already done, and she's already an enormous target to everyone, so she's dragging me down with her. She is my sworn enemy!"_

The middle-aged inventor wanted to scream out loud. The worst part was that she couldn't vent her frustrations to anybody else in her tribe. It was the second day, and her tribe members already had a bad impression of both women. She couldn't alienate herself even more by nagging and complaining even more about Asuka. So, venting to the camera was the next best consolation. _"You know, I was going to come in here and do the usual Survivor thing. I was going to make alliances, get along with everyone, and then win the million dollars. Now that strategy is thrown out the window, and it's all because of one stupid girl who has a bone to pick with me."_ She wore a frustrated smile on her face as she shook her head. _"This sucks! This isn't how my game is supposed to go…"_

_

* * *

_

"I can't believe they're fighting over something so pointless."

That snide remark came from none other than Faye Valentine. She was observing the tribe's progress (or lack thereof) from a safe distance. If Holland was here, he would have broken up this silly argument in a matter of seconds. However, the self-appointed leader was too busy constructing the shelter at the moment. And so, while he was collecting materials and resources in the forest, Faye watched these two terrible women immerse in yet another verbal confrontation. Their arguments were amusing at first, but now they became downright annoying. They must have no idea how grating their voices sounded when they bicker.

As far as Faye was concerned, it didn't really matter who started the fire. Regardless, Asuka and Bulma were destined to be the first two people voted out of Jiraiya. They pretty much sealed their own fates on the first day.

"I know, right? So much drama!" Harley laughed, turning his head towards the bounty huntress. He, too, was watching the argument from a safe distance. "Should we do something to stop them?"

"Nah. Let's just watch them make idiots out of themselves." Faye grinned cheekily.

"I like the way you think." Harley was also grinning.

They were a pair made in heaven. Faye and Harley gravitated towards each other from the moment they first met. They weren't too sure how it happened, but the chemistry was obviously there. She was pretty fabulous, and he was plenty of fabulous as well. They shared the same sense of humour, almost the same interests, and definitely the same tastes in men. Once the two of them discovered so many similarities in each other, they had been inseparable ever since. In fact, Faye and Harley had become friends almost as quickly as Asuka and Bulma had become enemies.

"So, how are you holding up so far?" Faye asked, casting a sideway glance at her new buddy.

"I'm cold, I'm hungry, and I'm tired of listening to those two bitches argue over a box of matches. But other than that, I'm feeling fantastic!" Harley feigned a fake smile. But in all seriousness, the Pokemon Coordinator was amazed that he hadn't fallen apart just yet. He hated to be a walking stereotype, but he wasn't the most athletic person in the world. He didn't like roughing it outdoors, and he pretty much hated every aspect of Survivor other than the million dollars. He was another one of those people who feared that he will get voted off right away. Harley, however, counted his blessings that he was on the same tribe as Asuka and Bulma, because those were two tribal councils he wouldn't have anything to worry about.

"It's only going to get worse, you know." Faye smirked a little.

"It already feels like the worst." Harley buried his face into his hands. He laughed, shakily. "I miss my bed, I miss my clothes, I miss my television, I miss my refrigerator, I miss my cell phone, I miss sushi, I miss sex. I can't believe I signed up for this stupid game. What am I even doing here? I have no survival skills whatsoever. And I don't care if I'm rambling on and on, because I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown. Oh wait, I'm already having one!"

When he stopped talking, Faye and Harley exchanged glances with each other. For a brief moment, neither of them knew what to say.

"Dude, it's only the first day." Faye deadpanned. She put an arm over his shoulder. "Get a grip."

"God, I'm so glad I met you." Harley laughed again.

- - -

Keitaro Urashima felt a little embarrassed to pee in the forest. He had been holding in his bladder for a few hours now, but it was only a matter of time before he had to come face-to-face with his personal predicament. Holland, bless him, had given Keitaro some swift and efficient advice – "Just find some spot, let it all flow out, and then pull up your zipper once you're done." But it was easier said than done, especially when they were surrounded by so many people and cameras. In the end, the shy college student trekked deep into the forest until he was sure he was completely secluded. He then urinated in a bush, let out a huge sigh of relief, and made his way back to camp.

But then, he got lost.

He did not know how long he wandered aimlessly in the forest, but the sun was setting and Keitaro was beginning to panic. Now he understood why the Survivor producers warned everyone not to venture too deep into the forest, or at least not without the company of another person. Keitaro obviously did not pay any attention to the advice. He thought these things could happen to everybody else but him. Looking back, that had been a foolish presumption. The clumsy college student had been one of the unluckiest people alive. Of course the worst things happened to him. Of course they did. After all, he was Keitaro Uriashima, the barrier of extremely bad luck.

And now, he was alone in the forest with no idea where to go next. Holland might have been an excellent navigator, but Keitaro lacked any sense of direction whatsoever. He got lost finding the bathroom on his university campus, let alone a forest in the middle of nowhere. Every single tree looked identical in his opinion. He had no idea whether or not he was making progress. If only he had a compass and map with him. Better yet, if only he had the common sense to pee in a familiar location, this would have never happened to him.

He tripped and cut his knee on a branch. Of course he did. He was the unluckiest guy alive. Bad luck didn't just follow him. It plagued his every waking moment, from his academic career to his romantic life. He thought he was unsuccessful on all accounts.

As Keitaro pulled himself from the ground, he noticed that he had tripped over a shrub full of berries. Curiously, he leaned forward to examine these foreign looking fruits. He had never seen this type of fruit before, which looked like an odd mix between an oversized cherry and a deformed strawberry. Whatever it was, Keitaro thought it looked extremely edible. He was hungry, and he did not know how much longer he will be lost in the forest. So, he picked off a few berries and stuffed them in his pocket. These will do for now to satisfy his appetite.

The _Survivor_ production team also warned the players not everything in the forest was edible. Apparently, Keitaro didn't pay any attention that lesson either.

By the time Keitaro finally found his campsite (to an oblivious tribe that had not even noticed his absence), his pocket was almost empty. It had been a long, tiring journey. Eating the berries helped soothe Keitaro's nerves while he was lost. Plus, the berries were pretty juicy, which kept him hydrated along the way. Happy about his discovery, Keitaro decided to share his remaining berries to his tribe members.

"But they're poisonous." Guy stated in a matter-of-fact voice. He took one look at the berries in Keitaro's hand and immediately identified them as one of the deadliest fruits in Konoha. "The stuff isn't fatal, but it can give you a massive stomach ache for days." He carefully opened one of the berries to demonstrate his point. "See here? These seeds are poisonous, and they spread out until the entire fruit is contaminated. One little nibble, and you're done for!"

"I vaguely remember these berries during the prep talk." Holland nodded his head in agreement.

"Wait, you didn't actually eat any of these berries, right?" Guy asked, raising an eyebrow. When no response came the college student, he dropped his jaw in shock. "Oh no."

"Oh no!" Kari echoed, displaying some genuine concern for her tribe member.

"Oh no…" Holland sighed, shaking his head as he pondered over what consequences this action will bring to the team.

"Oh no indeed." Faye said, with a look of amusement on her face. It seemed like that was the only response Jiraiya had at the moment.

Keitaro dropped his head in shame. He ate the berries. More than one too. Of course he did. He was the unluckiest guy alive. These unfortunate events can only happen to him. The worst things always happened to him. Soon, his stomach growled thunderously as the effects of poison kicked in. He felt a sudden urge to use the restroom again. But this time, Keitaro needed to do a number two.

* * *

_"I'm an idiot. I ate some poisonous berries in the forest and I'm not feeling too well right now. Yeah, I know. I'm an idiot."_ Keitaro's voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. He was red in the face too, although it was unclear if he was just embarrassed or if he was hurting that much. _"This is a lesson to everyone out there. Don't put anything you can't trust in your mouth. I learned it the hard way." He smiled faintly at the camera. "I doubt anyone will be as stupid as me. I wouldn't wish this kind of pain on my worst enemy…"_

But if Keitaro knew what was about to happen in Tsunade, he might somehow enjoy the irony.

* * *

- - -

Despite Asuka's high expectations of them, the Tsunade tribe struggled right from the start. Within the first few minutes of their hike, they got lost. Even with a functional compass in their possession, they couldn't distinguish between east and west. And for the past few hours or so, the eight of them had been walking around the forest in circles. Kurz Weber, the unlucky man who volunteered to read the map, felt increasingly doubtful about his capabilities. Meanwhile, Roy and Shannon also struggled to get an accurate reading from their compass, so they shouldered part of the blame as well. _This isn't a good start._ Kurz thought to himself. From his experience as a sergeant, he knew if his navigation skills had been this poor in the battlefield, he'd be slaughtered by the enemy.

"You guys, we're officially lost." Kurz turned to his tribe members with a sigh.

"Next you'll be telling us the sky is officially blue." Roy deadpanned.

"Good one. I like that dry sense of humour." Kurz smiled weakly at the one-eyed colonel. He sighed again. "Why…why…why does every single tree in this forest look the same?"

After a third sigh, Kurz studied the map once more. The Konoha landscape was quite rocky, with many of the forests located on small hills and gentle slopes that surrounded the area. This unique geography led to many interesting wildlife and breathtaking scenery, but it also made navigating a troublesome chore. Since the map only contained a basic overview of the forest, pinpointing their exact location was a nearly impossible task. On many occasions, Kurz felt an urge to crumple the piece of paper and toss it aside, just like a piece of garbage he thought it was.

When Kurz Weber got frustrated, he didn't yell at people or make snide remarks like some may have done. He considered himself a pretty positive, happy-go-lucky person, so he tried to look on the bright side of things. Instead of getting angry, he diverted his attention elsewhere. And by 'elsewhere', what Kurz really meant was the _ladies_. It was always about the ladies with him, first and foremost.

"Are any of you girls tired yet? Do you want to take a break?" Kurz asked, turning around to address the four women.

"Nope, I'm feeling just peachy!" Mina giggled.

"I think we'll find our camp soon." Orihime added with an optimistic nod.

"We got some strong girls on our tribe, huh?" Kurz laughed. He gave the two teenage girls a playful wink. "Don't you worry, ladies! I'll make it my personal mission to guide you out of this forest, safe and sound!"

"Keep your eyes on the map, Weber. Not the girls." Shannon muttered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Kurz groaned. His gaze reluctantly returned to the map once again. He was, however, distracted by another woman moments later. Mai Valentine seemed to have taken an interest in the handsome blonde pilot. She leaned forward and tapped him on the shoulder.

"This might be a stupid question, but do you have a girlfriend?" Mai asked.

"Nah, I'm an eligible bachelor right here!" Kurz patted himself proudly on his chest. He raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner. "Why? Are you interested in starting a little something-something with me?" He broke into a cheesy grin. "Hey baby, I'm like a convenience store, open for service twenty-four-seven."

A few of the girls burst out into giggles.

"Just wondering. I thought I could smell the most desperation reeking from you." Mai said jokingly.

"Oooh, burn!" Mina laughed.

* * *

_"Kurz made a lot of passes to the women today and it's only the first day. He's a little immature for my tastes, but I suppose it's just harmless flirting."_ Mai, who was a natural flirt herself, had already thoroughly analyzed the four men in her tribe. Kurz was the one who intrigued her in particular. _"Still, it's very obvious that he thinks more with his pants than with that little brain in his head. That's perfectly fine with me though, because those types of men are the easiest to manipulate."_

She smiled sheepishly at the camera, behaving as if she was a guilty child who had just said something naughty. _"I can't wait until I get my hands on Kurz Weber. He'll be left a shell of a man when I'm through with him."_

Meet Mai Valentine, twenty four years old; likes candlelit dinners, long walks on the beach, cologne on a man's neck, and money in his wallet. By a strange coincidence, her Survivor application was eerily similar to her online dating profile. Hence, she came into this game with only two objectives: either she was going to win the million dollars, or she was going to hook up with the man who does.

* * *

Kurz might have been able to charm most of the females in his tribe, but there was one woman who did not appear impressed with his antics. In fact, Meryl Stryfe had been in an irritable mood since the start of the hike. She cannot believe they had not arrived at their campsite yet, after so many hours of trekking through the forest. In her mind, the sun was setting soon, and they didn't have fire, nor water, nor shelter. Tsunade didn't have any of the three key necessities. And quite frankly, Meryl was afraid that they might die out here on the first day.

"Take it eee-easy, Meryl! Just relax! This isn't a sprint. Survival is a thirty nine day marathon…" Kurz had told her with a casual smile, hoping to reassure the petite woman's fears.

"But we're lost in the middle of nowhere! How can I stay calm!?" Meryl had exclaimed, struck with panic.

"With that attitude, you're going to have a panic attack any minute now." Kurz joked.

Meryl shot him a contemptuous glare. She didn't find his remark very amusing. For the few hours she knew him, she didn't think anything out of Kurz's mouth was intelligent or reassuring. He had such a laid-back and free-spirited personality, which drastically clashed with her far more practical outlook towards life. Plus, he was a bit of a pervert, and she had caught him several times looking at the women in all the wrong ways. In short, he was the type of guy Meryl normally despised.

Here was the problem. Everybody else in the Tsunade tribe liked Kurz Weber. Or at least they weren't annoyed by his behaviour just yet. The same could not be said about Meryl, who already got on a few people's nerves. They called her 'bossypants' behind her back. They even went out of their ways to avoid contact with her if possible. Unfortunately, Meryl did not catch the hint. And unaware of how she was coming across to her tribe members, the petite insurance agent was about to dig her grave even deeper.

"Are you sure we're heading in the right direction? I'm pretty sure west is _this_ way." Meryl said, gesturing her hand towards her right. "Just look at where the sun is."

"I know how to use a compass." Shannon quipped.

Meryl shrugged her shoulders, but she didn't seemed convinced that she was wrong. She knew men too well and how keen they were to protect their bruised egos. The feisty insurance agent was growing frustrated with her tribe's lack of progress. All responsibility fell on the three macho men, who insisted on leading their tribe at the beginning, yet they proved to be surprisingly inept. In her opinion, navigating in this forest should be very straightforward. They had a map, a compass, and just five kilometres to go. How difficult could it be? The futility of the men's efforts seemed so pathetic and laughable that Meryl just wanted to lash out at their incompetence. Give them a piece of her mind, so to speak.

"Let the women try. We can't do any worse than this." Meryl suggested. She turned towards the other females for their support. They, along with Zolo, had been traveling quietly at the back of the pack while the there men led them to nowhere. This felt like time for a change.

"She's right, you know. We've been walking around in circles for a while now." Mai added.

"Do we even know where we are?" Mina asked, scratching her head.

"What is this? A _rebellion_!? On the first day?" Kurz chuckled.

"It's not a rebellion. We're just speaking our minds." Meryl replied in a rather snippy manner. She found the blonde's light-hearted comment offensive for some reason. He spoke in a tone that almost implied he didn't treat her seriously. It was the sort of attitude that really infuriated the insurance agent.

"Can you read a map?" Roy asked.

"Of course I do! It's a map, how difficult can it be?" Meryl made a face. Can she read a map? What kind of question was that? She almost felt like her intelligence was insulted. The guys must have perceived her as a numbskull or something. "Even if I don't know, I can always learn!"

"Less talking, more progress please." Shannon noted dully. The quiet swordsman continued to march forward despite Meryl's protests. Feeling too exhausted to prolong a pointless argument in the middle of nowhere, the rest of the tribe just followed his lead anyway, much to Meryl's chagrin.

Unfortunately, Meryl just did not know when to let go of a losing battle.

"Hey, hold on for a minute!" Meryl exclaimed, clearly annoyed with her tribe members. "I just suggested something! Don't ignore me like that!"

Several people groaned in the background. For the most part, Tsunade was an easygoing tribe that got along with each other rather effortlessly. After all, these people were in good spirits even after getting lost in the forest for hours. They were still joking and laughing like friendly acquaintances. But Meryl, who was a little more anxious, a little more neurotic, and a little more high-strung than her fellow tribe members, stood out like a sore thumb. She already showed a bossy side during the hike, but she became even more annoying with each passing minute. It was a wonder that nobody snapped at her yet, although a few of them felt tempted.

* * *

_"We're lost, we're exhausted, and the last thing we need is Meryl complaining about what we already know."_ Shannon spoke dully in his confessional. _"She needs to watch her mouth before she speaks. It's cliché, but it's a motto that can go a long way in this game."_

_

* * *

_

"Meryl, we just want to arrive at camp in relative peace. It's cold, we're tired, and everyone is managing the best as we could." Kurz sighed. Even he could not maintain that jolly, carefree attitude all the time. "You're right, the sun is setting soon, and we don't have a lot of daylight left. So, let's not argue about this, okay?"

"I just want to help!" Meryl insisted.

"Well, you aren't helping right now with all that lip." Zolo snapped back immediately.

"May be you guys don't know how to read a map," said Meryl.

"Or may be you don't know how to shut up, woman." Zolo muttered under his breath. A few other men heard this comment and snickered. Meryl, however, could only distinguish several words in his speech. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the tanned pirate, yet she said nothing more.

_"Heyyyyy guys! Look what I found!"_

Everyone turned their attention towards a chipper voice at the back of the pack. It belonged to Mina, who sensed a forthcoming conflict among her tribe members, and thus tried to divert everyone's attention towards a berry shrub she found in the forest. When Mina first caught notice of it, she thought she had struck a potential goldmine.

"Food!" Mina exclaimed happily. For a tribe that had not eaten anything in the past couple of hours, this was indeed an exciting discovery.

Unfortunately, not everybody in her tribe shared the same enthusiasm.

"They look dodgy." Shannon muttered as he examined one of the berries with his hand.

"Aww, you're no fun." Mina pouted, looking a bit crestfallen. She turned to her other tribe members for their support. "C'mon, you guys! Survivor is all about taking risks and embarking on new adventures! It's just a few berries! What's the worst that could happen!?"

"We could all be dead by the next morning." Shannon deadpanned. A few people laughed, somewhat nervously.

Without the support of her tribe members, Mina would have given up on her discovery had she not found an unlikely ally in the group. Meryl, who was irked that she got ignored once again, raised a noticeable objection all of a sudden. Several men groaned in unison. They already grew sick of listening to that bossy, high-pitched voice. What now, Meryl? What now?

"You know, I'm really tired of you guys bossing us around. It's one thing if you actually produced some results, but as far as I can see, you've accomplished nothing for the tribe. All of your intuitions so far have been wrong." Meryl just could not hold back her feelings any longer. "If Mina wants us to eat the berries, then who are you to stop her?"

"Okay, you eat it then. You die first." Shannon said humourlessly.

"May be I will eat it. Just to show that you guys know absolutely nothing about this place." Meryl spat back.

And in the heat of the moment, she did exactly that. Meryl picked off one of the berries and shoved it into her mouth. The other players watched with awe as she slowly chewed the fruit into pieces. Her smile grew more and more confident as she chewed. When she swallowed it whole, a few players sighed in relief. Mina, in particular, had the most delighted reaction. She followed Meryl's example and also ate a berry, just like she had wanted from the beginning.

"See, nothing happened. We're still in one piece." Meryl looked up at her tribe members with a grin.

"And the taste is actually pretty good!" Mina added enthusiastically, "It's sweet, but not too sweet. Oh my goodness, it's like the best thing I've eaten since I got here. It's the only thing I've eaten, but still." She giggled a little. "You guys have to give it a try!"

"You're going to regret that." Shannon warned. "They could be poisonous for all you know. I can't believe you'd put your life in danger like that."

But nobody paid any attention to the grumpy swordsman. With approval from Meryl and Mina, most of the players felt their living testimonies were enough evidence that the berries were edible. One by one, they disregarded Shannon's earlier warning and grabbed a handful of berries from the shrub. Only Shannon himself refused to participate. He was too stubborn to admit that he could possibly be wrong about these foreign berries.

"It tastes a little like mango and a little like papaya!" Orihime squealed in delight. "And it has some watermelon and coconut flair in it too!"

"Oh, it's scrumptious! Great find, Mina!" Meryl added.

"In honour of the girl who made the discovery, I propose we name these berries…_Mina_berries!" Kurz laughed.

"Minaberries…" Mina repeated the word to herself before a huge grin emerged from her face. "I like it!"

While their tribe members feasted on the new discovery, Shannon grumpily turned away. If anything happened to these knuckleheads, he would be more than willing to tell them: "I told you so." But until that actually happened, he was forced to admit defeat. He reluctantly surrendered his compass over to Meryl, who took one look at the device and guided the group in a completely different direction.

"We have been going the wrong way." Meryl snapped her fingers. She shot a quick glare at the men before she gazed down at the compass again. "Follow me."

* * *

_"I can think of at least one story where people who ate the forbidden fruit were punished. It might be a bit presumptuous of me to compare Tsunade to Eden, because I know we aren't living in a paradise. Mina doesn't realize that though, but I refuse to be the Adam to her Eve."_ Shannon muttered to the camera. _"I'm more disappointed in my tribe members for taking the advice of a seventeen-years-old city girl who can barely find her feet around here. What were they thinking?"_

He spoke in such a deadpan manner that it almost sounded humorous, even though it was obvious that Shannon was being absolutely serious with his words. He ended his confessional by shaking his head, almost as if he had given up on his tribe. _"They're fools, all of them. All fools."_

_

* * *

_

- - -

It took another hour before Tsunade finally arrived at their campsite, stumbling upon it by dumb luck. Contrary to popular belief, Meryl had not been leading them in the right direction, although she will take full credit for this feat anyway. Their camp was located in a small grassy clearing, secluded discreetly in the forest and also secluded from most dangerous predators. They knew they found the right place due to the presence of a dark green Tsunade flag. This was the location where they will live for the next thirty nine days or so. This was home. More importantly, this was their home.

Mina Aino couldn't stop herself from smiling. She had no real reason to feel so pleased, but she was just a naturally happy person. The blonde teenager felt so excited to settle at the new campsite. For her, it marked the beginning of a very precious adventure, and she couldn't wait to get started! All the good friends she will make, all the breathtaking sights she will witness, all the thrills and joy she will experience. The actual game seemed even more fun than how it came across on the show. Mina not only looked forward to every gritty aspect of Survivor, she fully embraced it with all her heart.

"I really like it here!" Mina exclaimed cheerfully.

"Me too!" Orihime giggled.

"I thought we'd be living in trenches and fighting a swarm of insects as we speak, so this place is way better than what I expected. It's quite a nice camp." Mina smiled, nodding her head a few times. "What a relaxing atmosphere. I can get used to it here!"

"Hey now, don't get too comfortable. You may not stay here for long." Roy remarked, to which the blonde responded by punching him playfully in his arm.

"It's true though." Mina lowered her voice to almost a whisper. In a tribe with four strong athletic men (a fact that she noticed right away), she naturally felt like one of the weaker and more vulnerable tribe members. "I'm a little scared. I don't want to be the first to go. I really don't."

"As long as the _bossypants_ is in our tribe, no one is going anywhere in tribal council." Zolo grumbled.

Without mentioning any names or pointing any fingers, everybody in proximity had already identified said person. Meryl may have led her tribe to the campsite through sheer luck, but she had not won herself any favours in the social aspects of the game. Nothing had changed from the hike. It just confirmed everybody's suspicions that she was a bossy son of a bitch. So, when Meryl asked for another person to accompany her to find the water hole, nobody volunteered. In the end, Mai reluctantly tagged along, but only because she felt sorry for the poor woman. The other six tribe members just shook their heads and sighed. Poor Mai. She took one for the team.

"You're coming on too strong. Not a lot of people like you right now. First impressions, you're either too annoying or too bossy. May be both." Mai warned.

What started as an innocent trip to the water hole turned into a startling reality check for Meryl. During their girly talk, Mai had informed the petite insurance agent about how she was coming across to the tribe. And Meryl, poor Meryl, was shocked that she was already on the chopping block due to her aggressive personality. She had no idea!

"Just tone it down a bit." Mai wasn't too good at giving out advice, so she kept her warning short and sweet. "Don't be so mouthy, you know?"

"I'm entitled to my opinion." Meryl's expression stiffened. She looked somewhat hurt.

"Look, I'm only telling you this because I'm sorta fond of you. I like your attitude, but it's rubbing everyone else the wrong way." Mai shrugged her shoulders. Since they were around the same age, and both women had an assertive streak, the blonde thought she could relate to Meryl on a certain level. "I don't want to see you walk right into your doom."

"Thanks, I guess." Meryl winced a little. She didn't know how to respond. How should she respond after discovering everybody else hated her guts? "I'll be more careful from now on."

"Hey, chin up! Us strong sisters got to stick together!" Mai grinned. The petite woman smiled back, albeit apprehensively, but it was a smile nonetheless.

Meryl Stryfe somehow made herself into the public enemy on Day 1. Thanks to a helpful warning, she had two days to recover from a bad first impression, perhaps more if Tsunade won the first immunity challenge. Worst case scenario, she might find herself on the chopping block at the next tribal council. But there was still time. There was still an opportunity for a comeback. Meryl remained optimistic even if the odds were against her at the moment.

Little did she know that in a few hours, as soon as the poison of the Minaberries took effect, her _Survivor_ journey will be shot straight to hell.

- - -

**DAY 2**

Holland Novak started the campfire early this morning, thus further cementing his position as the leader and all-around hero in the Jiraiya tribe.

"Yesterday, I assigned Asuka and Bulma to start the fire, but they ended up bickering so much that nothing got accomplished. Surprise, surprise." Holland shot a deadpanned expression at a nearby camera. "Since fire is crucial to our survival, I took matters into my own hands and worked on it myself today. It took me around five minutes to get a flame going." He sighed and shook his head. "That was such a simple task, yet my tribe members still failed miserably. It just goes to show you that, sometimes, you can't rely on anyone but your own damn self."

He was in a grumpy mood, partly because he was not a morning person, and partly because that was just his natural personality. Holland was a very humourless man who perhaps took life a little too seriously. His wife had told him that he needed to relax more often. He tried, he really did, but it was difficult when surrounded by overwhelming incompetence. Perhaps he was being too harsh on his tribe members, but Holland soon discovered that almost none of these people knew how to survive in the wilderness. How they survived _life_ in general was a big mystery for him.

Even a simple task such as boiling the water led to much debate among his tribe members. Holland, who let his guard down for a moment, had foolishly stepped away from camp to retrieve more firewood. He thought he could trust his tribe members to boil the water and maybe cook some breakfast this morning. He thought he could trust them _not_ to screw up without any adult supervision. Instead, when he returned, he was surprised to see there was water was spilled all over the ground, the fire was extinguished, and several tribe members were bickering around the once-existing campfire. Holland immediately smacked his forehead at the terrible sight. He didn't even want to know what could have possibly caused this disaster.

"It's her fault." Asuka wasted no time pinpointing the blame at her archenemy. "Bulma knocked over the pot of water."

"No I didn't, you devil girl! You don't have any proof that I did it!" Bulma argued.

As the two women resumed their usual squabbling, Holland ignored them in search for an actual answer. Eventually, a sheepish looking Keitaro confessed to the crime. He just wanted to help boil the water, but he was clumsy enough to trip and kick over the pot of water, thus extinguishing the flame. It was an unlikely scenario for anybody else, but for Keitaro, the master of misfortune, this was just in the realm of possibility.

"I've more bad news." Keitaro informed the leader, "The matches were kinda nearby, so I kinda got them all wet and soggy. I don't know if we can use them anymore. Sorry."

Holland didn't know how to reply back. He expected nothing more from the idiot who poisoned himself on the first day and put out the campfire on the second. Keitaro was a streak of bad luck waiting to happen. Knowing his record, that kid will probably stumble upon his own self-destruction pretty soon.

"I'm really sorry! Tell me if there's anything I can do to make up for my mistakes…" Keitaro apologized again.

"Just go. Just get out of my face for a while, okay?" Holland muttered coldly. The college student caught the cue and disappeared from proximity right away.

He wished he was in a better mood. He may have needed Keitaro as a vote down the line. But right now, Holland was feeling increasingly frustrated with his tribe's situation. They were a mess, a complete helpless mess. Although they managed to construct a shelter yesterday, that was pretty much the only successful thing they accomplished thus far. Otherwise, they had no food, no drinking water, no flame, no strength, no hope. Holland may have been a good leader, but he wasn't a miracle worker. His whole tribe seemed to be working against him. These city slickers had zero survival skills. What was he supposed to do?

Asuka and Bulma contributed nothing to camp other than their meaningless bickering. Keitaro continued to screw up despite his best intentions. Harley and Faye were slackers who only cared about themselves. Kari was the youngest and also the physically weakest. Even Guy, who was supposed to be so strong and knowledgeable, had stayed suspiciously under the radar so far. It became clear to Holland that Jiraiya was a tribe full of outcasts, but they were outcasts for a good reason.

Jiraiya was a tribe destined for failure. That was their inevitable fate in this game.

**- - -**

The tribe dynamics in Jiraiya remained status quo on the second morning. Asuka was still widely considered as the most annoying, while Bulma made a close runner-up (much to her chagrin). They were still the two most obvious targets if the tribe had to attend tribal council in the near future. However, Harley recently discovered a _third_ person to add in the growing list of annoying tribe members, and she was a rather unconventional candidate.

"Isn't it great to wake up to such a beautiful day!?"

That chipper voice belonged to none other than the youngest member in the tribe. She was sweet, positive, likable, thirteen-years-old Kari Kamiya. Everybody loved her like a little sister. That was everybody _except_ for Harley, who was already fed up with the young girl's incessant optimism and overly sweet demeanour.

"I'm just so excited to be here! I actually made it through my first day of _Survivor_…alive!" Kari continued enthusiastically, unaware that Harley was using every fibre of his body to _not_ roll his eyes at her. "I feel like I've accomplished so much already! Like, I didn't know what to expect at first, but living out here isn't so bad. I'm starting to enjoy the camp life."

"Oh, you go, sweetie! We're totally on the same boat! I'm _so_ proud of us!" Harley squealed in delight.

"You know what? I think the two of us are really going to get along!" Kari giggled.

"Oh yeah, like, totally!" Harley nodded his head, a little too eagerly.

Harley may have feigned a smile here and then, but deep down he could not tolerate another minute with this impossibly frustrating little twerp. He regretted ever accompanying her on this treemail trip. At first, he thought it was a smart idea to stay away from camp, sensing Holland's increasing agitation this morning. Instead, he discovered that hanging around Kari Kamiya felt worse than torture. She was driving him absolutely nuts.

The two of them had nothing in common. She was so positive, so friendly, so sweet and sugary nice that it came across as incredibly annoying. Harley, on the other hand, did not believe in the whole 'nice' thing. He was proud to admit that he was a mean-spirited person, even though he can put on a false façade every now and then. He didn't think it made him a bad person per se. It only meant that Harley wasn't drawn to somebody as _vanilla_ as Kari, who was too sweet as pie for his liking. Oh, how he longed for Faye's companionship at the moment! The sarcastic bounty huntress was a much better conversationalist than this boring little girl!

"I wonder what immunity challenge we'll have today." Kari rubbed her chin, deep in thought. "I think we'll do well no matter what it is. We've so many _big_, strong guys in our tribe! It's awesome! Jiraiya rocks!" She grinned as she patted Harley on the shoulder. "And I'm sure you'll be a _big_ help in the challenge too, Harley!"

"Golly, I sure do hope so!" Harley's smile stiffened somewhat. He didn't know how much longer he can keep up this unbearable nice-guy act. It was killing his dark, dead soul on the inside.

"Let's try our best and win the first immunity. It will really boost our tribe morale!" Kari nodded her head.

"That's the spirit!" Harley exclaimed.

* * *

_"Did you hear what Kari said to me back then? She called me fat. Yeah, you heard me right. Every time she talks about me, she always uses the word 'big'. It's always big, fat, chunky Harley to the rescue! And I'm not being too sensitive, but she's doing it intentionally. I know she is. I can tell." _Harley hissed in his video confessional. He, who was normally proud of his slim and slender physique, had put on a few additional pounds in preparation for _Survivor_. At first, he thought the flabbiness in his body wasn't that noticeable, but Kari brought out all of the insecurities within Harley. And when his inner demons were released, things can get ugly.

Like a true drama queen, the flamboyant Pokemon Coordinator was an animated talker, who waved his hands left and right as he spoke. _"As far as I'm concerned, the only fat thing around here is that big pain in the ass called Kari! She said one of the most underhanded things I've ever heard a human being say. Nobody can insult my figure and get away with it. Nobody! That girl better watch herself, because I now know Kari Kamiya can be a bit of a bitch."_

_

* * *

_

Harley returned to camp fifteen minutes later, and those fifteen minutes that he never wanted to experience again. Not only was he bored out of his mind, but he also felt deeply offended by a remark that may or may not have been intentional. Nonetheless, he already made up his mind about Kari Kamiya as a person and a tribe member. He was done bonding with her, he was _so_ over her. In his opinion, she may have passed Asuka and Bulma on the annoying meter, by a long shot.

"How was your chat with the ray of sunshine?" Faye teased her friend. The Pokemon Coordinator immediately pouted and buried his head into her shoulder.

"Kill me now." Harley muttered.

- - -

Nobody in Tsunade got a wink of sleep last night. Their stomachs were growling, their voices were howling, and their bodies were suffering. Shannon Casull was the only person who remained unaffected by the poisonous Minaberries, but there was no way he could go to sleep when everyone else made such a ruckus throughout the night. If he wanted to act like a prick, this would be the right time to laugh at his agonizing tribe members for not following his advice. But Shannon, as grumpy as he may be sometimes, was not the type to laugh at other people's misfortunes. As the only healthy person in the tribe, he ended up doing a lot of the chores around camp. He was the one who started the fire. He was the one who collected firewood. He was the one who made trips to the water hole. He was basically one person tackling the entire tribe's workload.

"Thanks, Shannon. You're the best." Orihime mumbled feebly as the hardworking swordsman refilled her water canteen for the umpteenth time.

"Don't talk. Just rest." Shannon told her.

The poison affected each tribe member in varying degrees. Some people, particularly those with strong immune systems, were on their ways to a speedy recovery. Their bodies should return to their normal conditions by the next morning or so. Others, however, were not as fortunate. Poor Orihime Inoue, who had never been the strongest of girls, was struggling the most out of everyone. She was the only person to vomit throughout the night, not to mention that she looked ghastly pale this morning. For some odd reason, her body responded the worst to the Minaberries. It wasn't her fault per se. It was just the luck of the draw.

"I feel really bad that Shannon is the only one doing work for all of us. We should be out there, helping him…" Orihime said remorsefully.

"He better not overwork himself." Zolo added, "We need him to kick ass in the challenge today."

To make matters worse, as if they weren't suffering enough already, Tsunade discovered that they had an immunity challenge this evening. Everybody knew right away they were in no condition to compete, not even in a purely mental competition. So, it was up to Shannon to rescue the tribe once again. But he was just one person, compared to the eight strong, healthy people on the other tribe. Tsunade's chances of winning seemed slim to almost impossible. Most people already resigned to the fact that they will be going to the first tribal council.

Mina Aino was one of the sceptics. She was normally an optimistic person, but even she could not turn a blind eye to reality. As the person who introduced the Minaberries to the group, she shouldered all responsibility for her tribe's suffering. It wasn't entirely her fault that the tribe got person, but she felt guilty all the same. If it wasn't for her discovery, nobody would have been poisoned. If it wasn't for Mina, everybody would have been enjoying their second day of _Survivor_.

She felt guilty. So guilty that she almost asked her tribe members to vote her out. Almost. Mina may be ill, but she didn't become sick to the point of stupidity. Once she got over her initial guilt, she realized how foolish it would be if she sacrificed herself for the tribe. She just loved Survivor too much to quit voluntarily like that.

But Mina was worried. Very worried. She gave her tribe members the perfect reason to vote her out at the first tribal council. Sure, Orihime may be as weak as a wet blanket. Sure, Meryl may have annoyed everyone with her personality. The facts, however, clearly stated that Mina was the girl who poisoned her tribe on the first day. If one was to judge the severity of their crimes, she would be convicted of the guiltiest charge.

_Guilty. Guilty. Guilty._ Mina couldn't scrub this word from her conscience no matter how hard she tried.

And before she knew it, Mina found herself crying out of guilt.

"It's not your fault!" Orihime immediately consoled her. She gave the blonde teenager an affectionate hug. "Don't blame yourself! It's not over yet! Who knows? May be the other tribe poisoned themselves too!"

"I'm so sorry, everyone…" Mina tried to wipe her tears away.

"There, there…" Orihime stroked her friend's back.

Mai didn't have anything nice to say, so she kept her mouth shut and looked elsewhere. She had no sympathy for the girl who poisoned the entire tribe. In fact, she held Mina accountable for Tsunade's forthcoming loss in the immunity challenge. By all means, the blonde teenager should be voted off at the first tribal council. Instead, it was most likely Orihime who will be sent home tomorrow night.

_And now she's crying crocodile tears to make people feel sorry for her._ Mai glanced at the weeping teenager with a certain degree of contempt. While poor Orihime is doing all she can to make her feel better. Mai turned her head away, angrily. Orihime should be the one crying about her fate, not Mina.

"I never thought this would happen!" Mina continued sobbing. Her emotions seemed genuine enough. "If only I knew…"

_Cry me a river._ Mai rolled her eyes.

"Nobody could have known, so it's not your fault. Don't feel bad about it." Orihime smiled faintly.

"Besides, there's no point of crying over spilt milk. What's done is done." Zolo folded his arms across his chest. "Let's focus on what really matters. If we're lucky, may be we'll win the immunity challenge today."

"Yeah, there's still immunity…" Mina sobbed.

She glanced at the swordsman for any signs of reassurance. Yesterday, Zolo effortlessly declared to everyone that Meryl will be voted off at the first tribal council. Today, however, he did not make such bold claims. He was not certain who will be going home tomorrow. May be Orihime. May be Meryl. May be Mina. May be nobody. In fact, it could very well be him in the unlikeliest of cases. The only person definitely safe was Shannon, the healthy one in the group. Everybody else was at risk of going home.

Mina just hoped it wasn't her.

"Don't worry. We aren't going to tribal council. I'll make sure we win the challenge no matter what." Zolo said, carrying a cocky little smirk on his rugged face. "I don't _lose_ challenges. I'm not a loser."

"Good. Neither am I." Mina smiled, while wiping her eyes.

"That's the fightin' spirit, eh?" Zolo grinned back.

"You two are so…" Mai, who remained silent throughout the conversation, was not as optimistic about Tsunade's chances. She found herself unable to finish her sentence on a positive note, so she just let out a small sigh instead. "Let's hope for the best then."

"Yeah, we can do this. I know we can, I know we can." Orihime chanted, almost as if she was a cheerleader. She pumped her fist weakly in the air. "Gooooo Tsunade!"

* * *

_"Nothing has gone right for this tribe. We got lost for hours on the first day. And now, more than half the tribe is as sick as a ship of Navy dogs. At this rate, the entire tribe will decimate by tomorrow. It's over. It's all over."_ Zolo shook his head and scowled at the camera. _"We aren't in the condition to compete against Jiraiya. Come on, some of our girls can't even walk straight! How the hell can we win today?"_

Despite his reassuring words to his tribe members, it was clear that Zolo did not have much confidence about the immunity challenge. Still, if he couldn't believe in his tribe, then who else would? _"But I won't give up on Tsunade. We might be a bunch of dumbasses, but I'm going to try my damn hardest to win the challenge. We're hurting too much already. Losing immunity is the last thing this tribe needs."_

_

* * *

_

- - -

Evenings in Konoha were nothing short of spectacular. The cloudless sky contained an orangey-red glow, which was accompanied by the fading sunset that hanged prominently in the background. Even though Iruka had seen this sunset numerous times, absorbing the breathtaking view never failed to awe him. But for the sixteen castaways, they were not gathered here to enjoy the scenery. It was time for their first immunity challenge, where the tribe that emerges victoriously will earn themselves three extra days in the game. The losing tribe will face tribal council and vote out one of their own.

Mina looked anxious as she arrived at the first challenge. If there was any chance she could redeem herself to her tribe, this was the most opportunistic time. No matter how exhausted she might be, the teenager promised herself that she'll devote all her energy into the challenge and win.

"Good evening, players. Welcome to your first immunity challenge." Iruka greeted both tribes with a smile. "The rules are simple. Winners stay in the game three more days, while losers attend tribal council tomorrow night."

These dreaded words alone made several players shiver in fear.

"You'll be playing for this coveted immunity idol." Iruka said, holding up what seemed to be an irrelevant block of wood. On a closer examination, the item was actually an artistic sculpture with the faces of the five Konoha Hokages carved onto the surface.

"What extraordinarily hip artwork! We have to win it! Konoha spirit!" Guy exclaimed. His tribe members just shook their head and laughed. They were almost accustomed to his emotional outbursts by now. Might Guy, as they knew, was a very eccentric man who made the oddest remarks at time. In fact, it was part of his charm.

"Anyway…" Iruka averted his gaze from the excitable ninja. "Today's challenge is divided into three parts. First, four members from each tribe will ride inside a wagon, while the other four players will push this wagon and navigate it through the forest." The host paused for a moment to point out the orange and green wagons parked behind him. "There'll be various markers on the trees to guide you in the right direction."

Kurz groaned a little. The prospect of navigating in a forest once again did not excite him at all.

"You'll continue moving until you arrive at the puzzle stations. Once there, three tribe members will leave the wagon and complete a separate puzzle. Each station consists of an identical sliding puzzle on a six-by-six grid. Your objective is to form a very familiar picture." Iruka smiled vaguely at the other players. "A word of warning – you may not help or give advice to each other while you complete these puzzles."

This made Asuka and Bulma smile spontaneously. As two of the most intelligent people in the game, they had no doubts they could finish their puzzles in the nick of time. Provided that Jiraiya gain an early lead in the first portion of the challenge, this challenge could very well be a cakewalk.

"Once all three puzzles are finished correctly, the final tribe member will run towards a fire pit straight ahead. You'll know where it is once you're there." Iruka continued, "That person will grab a torch and light it. This flame will signify your tribe's victory. The first tribe to achieve this flame will win the first immunity challenge."

Without any further ado, Jiraiya and Tsunade assembled themselves behind their respective wagons. Iruka raised his arm in the air as a starting signal. This was for immunity. Survivors ready? Yada, yada, yada. Go!

Tsunade departed with an early start. They quickly decided that the women will ride inside the wagon, while the men will push from the outside. The women were also on alert of any markers on the trees, and notified the men if they missed any of the turns. This combination of strategy and teamwork garnered immediate results. Tsunade, quite surprisingly, gained a huge lead over the other tribe.

Jiraiya struggled with their initial decision far longer than it was necessary. They did not have a consensus on who should ride inside the wagon, and thus, complete the puzzles. Asuka and Bulma were obvious candidates, but the third spot was up in the air. Everyone appointed Keitaro for the position, but he refused it vehemently. He'd much rather do the physical aspects of this challenge instead. Yet, his tribe members insisted that his university education meant he was a natural candidate to solve puzzles, however flawed this logic might be. Besides, Keitaro was still feeling a little under the weather from the poisonous berries he ate yesterday, and his tribe didn't trust him to do manual labour. Eventually, Keitaro conformed to his tribe's wishes, albeit with much reluctance. And it was decided that Faye and the other three men will push the wagon instead.

"We wasted too much time already! Let's goooo!" Holland barked out his orders.

Despite a prolonged delay, Jiraiya was quick to make up lost time. In fact, they were travelling at an astonishing speed in this challenge, all because of Might Guy, the certified challenge machine. It was he who single-handedly manoeuvred the wagon at such a rapid pace. Harley, Faye, and Holland soon discovered that they were helping if they stayed out of his way. Thus, Guy ended up pushing the wagon all by himself, and he was still moving faster than the four men on the other tribe. His other tribe members chased after their wagon, watching in awe as the ninja storm through the forest with effortless ease. It didn't take long before the Jiraiya wagon breezed past Tsunade and obtained the new lead.

It was at this moment everybody discovered that Might Guy, no matter how silly his outbursts may be at times, was a true force to be reckoned with in the game.

"He is a beast!" Harley gasped.

"What superhuman strength…" Faye muttered, equally astonished.

On paper, this challenge was not supposed to be so unevenly matched. The likes of the four strong Tsunade men should be equal, if not exceed, the physical prowess that Guy possessed. However, their recent illness became a huge detriment to Tsunade's speed in the challenge. Despite their best efforts, the men were still feeling a bit woozy from the lack of sleep last night. Shannon, the only healthy tribe member, lacked the necessary manpower to make up for his tribe member's shortcomings. And thus, Tsunade was thrown further and further behind.

"I see the puzzle stations straight ahead!" Kari shouted excitedly.

Guy pulled the wagon over to the designated area. The three players responsible for the puzzles – Asuka, Bulma, and Keitaro – hopped off the vehicle and ran towards a separate puzzle station. As advertised, they were to solve a six-by-six sliding puzzle that will create a familiar picture once completed.

"Piece of cake. I can do this in my sleep." Bulma grinned as soon as she arrived at her station. She already knew the puzzle was supposed to be the picture of a _Survivor_ logo. The inventor looked over at Asuka, who also came to the same conclusion. Despite their differences earlier in the day, both women trusted each other's capabilities and knew they could finish their puzzles in no time.

Keitaro, on the other hand, had no idea what he was doing. He stared at his puzzle for a few moments, looking completely dumbfounded. He had hoped the answer would be spelled out to him somehow, but he was stumped. As a last resort, he decided to slide random pieces here and there. He relied on sheer luck than actual logic to solve the puzzle.

In less than a minute, Bulma already completed her sliding puzzle. Seconds later, Asuka did the same. Iruka scanned over both puzzles and confirmed that they were correct. Jiraiya was now one puzzle away from finishing this challenge. And their opposition was still nowhere in sight.

"Why aren't you done yet, four eyes?" Asuka shouted impatiently. She thought Keitaro would have been on the same wavelength as she and Bulma. "The puzzle is so simple!"

"Shut up! You're distracting him!" Bulma scolded.

"Well, it's not my fault that he's an idiot." Asuka let out one of her infamous snide remarks. She glared at the distressed college student. "Listen, Keitaro. If you blow this challenge for us, I'm going to kick your ass! I'll kick it so hard that you won't even have an ass when I'm through!"

"But I'm not a genius like you two…" Keitaro whimpered.

"Oh my god, don't reply back! Just keep working!" Asuka shouted angrily.

"Take your time, Keitaro." Kari chimed in. She can sense the anxiety in his voice, so she offered him some soothing advice. "Don't rush it, and you'll be fine."

Minutes passed by, but Keitaro was still nowhere close to finishing the puzzle. The urgency dawned upon him and the rest of his tribe when Holland emerged from the forest, announcing that the Tsunade wagon was arriving. The other tribe had managed to catch up, despite Jiraiya's immerse lead in the first place. Amazed that the challenge wasn't over yet, Mai, Meryl, and Mina dashed towards their puzzle stations right away.

"What's going on, Keitaro!? Why aren't you finished yet?" Holland asked from the sidelines.

"You're such an idiot! Hurry up!" Asuka screamed from the top of her lungs.

"I can't do it, you guys…" Keitaro sounded like he wanted to cry.

And it was at this moment everybody discovered that Keitaro Urashima, despite his prestigious university education, was kind of stupid.

Keitaro tried his best to block out their voices. It didn't help that his tribe members were far from supportive of him. They had waited far too long, and they were fed up with waiting any longer. The massive lead Jiraiya accumulated at the beginning was all but gone now. What could have been a landslide victory was slowly transforming into the most humiliating upset in Survivor history. If Jiraiya lost the lead and lost this challenge, there was just one person to blame.

And the thought of his tribe member afterwards made Keitaro feel a little queasy. (Or may be it was the Minaberries kicking in.)

"HURRRRRY UPPPPPPPP!"

Asuka was angry right now. Not just angry, she was downright furious. As one of the largest targets on the chopping block, she was terrified of losing this immunity challenge. It was almost certain that she would be going home at tribal council, and she didn't want to be the first person voted off because of this idiot. This…this idiot who couldn't complete a simple sliding puzzle to save his life. It frustrated Asuka immensely that her life in _Survivor_ was slowly slipping away…

"HURRRRRY UPPPPPPPP!"

Asuka wasn't the only one shouting. Bulma was screaming as well. She, too, was worried about her chances at the next vote. And it didn't seem fair that she had to attend tribal council because some fool couldn't do a puzzle. Everything in Survivor had been going wrong for Bulma so far. Being on the chopping block because of some brat, losing the first immunity challenge because of some idiot; this wasn't how her game was supposed to go at all!

Tears were welling up in Keitaro's eyes as he slid the puzzle pieces left, right, up, and down. This was the reason why he didn't want to volunteer in the first place, but he somehow ended up in the position anyway. Of course it happened. The worst things always happened to him. He must be the unluckiest person in the world. Worst of all, he could already picture what was going to happen afterwards – he will lose this challenge for his tribe, and he will be the first person voted off because of it. He will be forever known as the guy who couldn't do a sliding puzzle in the Survivor history books. That would go nicely with the rest of his crappy luck in this game.

Nothing could save Keitaro now. Nothing could save him from his inevitable fate unless he solved this impossible puzzle…

And by some extreme bizarre miracle, he did.

Keitaro couldn't believe his eyes at first, but the picture of a bright orange _Survivor_ logo appeared right in front of him. Dumbfounded, he stared at the puzzle for a few seconds, but it looked as real as it will ever be. The gods of fortune must have smiled upon him at exactly the right moment, because he stumbled upon a solution just when he needed it the most.

Iruka gave him the nod of approval. Keitaro almost wanted to burst into tears of joy. Even he had the capacity to be lucky _sometimes_.

Right on cue, Kari jumped out of the wagon and ran towards the fire pit straight ahead. It was some distance away, but the victory seemed conclusive. Jiraiya already began cheering as they watched Kari grab a torch and dip it in the fire. She then pulled the torch out and raised it high in the air, with its blazing flame signifying the Jiraiya tribe's victory.

"Jiraiya wins immunity!" Iruka announced.

The elated tribe ran towards Kari, wrapping her in a celebratory embrace. The petite DigiDestiend was overwhelmed at first, but joined in the festivities with an enthusiastic laugh. Guy separated himself from the group long enough to retrieve the immunity idol. He planted a big wet kiss on the wooden sculpture, a gesture that the other tribe members would later regret. But for now, Jiraiya did not have a care in the world. They won and needn't worry about tribal council.

Life was good and they knew it.

Mina collapsed onto her knees, feeling immensely crushed by the defeat. The only thing worse than losing was coming so close to victory, only to have it snatched away in the final stretch. It became a neck-to-neck race in the end, but Tsunade couldn't pull through when they needed it the most. And no matter how near to victory they were, nothing could change the tragic outcome that Tsunade lost. Now, somebody would go home tomorrow night – somebody that could very likely be Mina, who marked herself as a target when she fed her tribe those poisonous berries.

It hurt her head just thinking about the upcoming vote. She wished it would disappear altogether. The effects of no sleep and a massive stomach ache accumulated to a point where Mina could not think straight anymore. She just wanted to go sleep and think no more.

Her mind was blank. Only one word remained in her head, crystal and clear, that summarized all of her thoughts so far:

_Help._

- - -

**DAY 3**

"You're hurt!"

Orihime exclaimed this when she noticed that Shannon's right hand was bleeding. At first, she was a little freaked out by the trail of blood on the ground, but she soon realized that it was dripping from the swordsman's hand every time he moved. The actual scene wasn't as terrifying as it sounded, but Orihime had never been a big fan of blood. Ever since her older brother died in a car accident, she despised the sight of blood anywhere she saw it.

"Oh my god, you're hurt!" Orihime gasped, grabbing the swordsman's hand.

"Oh really?" Shannon glanced down and noticed a tiny cut on the back of his right hand. Hmm, where did that come from? He did not notice this injury until Orihime pointed it out. The wound must still be fresh since it was bleeding, albeit very little blood was coming out.

"What do you mean _'oh really'_? Your hand is bleeding!" Orihime frowned.

"Aww, did Shannon get a boo-boo?" Kurz asked.

By now, a few tribe members had gathered around Shannon due to all the commotion made earlier. The quiet swordsman did not look pleased being the centre of unnecessary attention, as indicated by the rosy colour in his cheeks. Normally an inexpressive person, he turned his head away to conceal his embarrassment.

"It's not a big deal. I get cuts all the time." Shannon muttered.

"Nonsense. You don't want that cut to get infected, not under these conditions anyway." Roy added in his two cents. "I remember seeing a first-aid kit somewhere around here..."

"I'll get it!" Orihime volunteered immediately.

She returned with the first-aid kit soon after. Orihime rummaged through the various medical supplies until she found what she wanted – a pink bandage. Shannon squirmed when he saw the item and tried to pull away, but Orihime refused to let go of his hand. She gently applied the bandage over his cut. She then patted his right hand a few times to make sure it was properly sealed.

"There, it's done. Now you don't have to act like such a tough guy," said Orihime.

"It wasn't necessary." Shannon grunted.

"Dude, she just fixed up your broken hand! The least you could do is thank the nice girl!" Kurz scolded him with a playful smack on the back. "If the lovely Orihime nursed me with such affection and tenderness, I would be jumping with joy!" Orihime giggled a little. That Kurz Weber could be so silly sometimes. "You ought to be more grateful, ya punk!"

Shannon shot the blonde pilot an annoyed glare. Kurz remembered receiving a similar look from Meryl not so long ago, but he paid no attention to either of them.

"It's kind of my fault. I shouldn't have butted my head in." Orihime smiled as she closed the first-aid kit. "Anyway, my job here is done. Shannon isn't bleeding anymore, so case closed!"

"Thanks." Shannon muttered quietly.

"You're welcome!" Orihime was just about to get up and leave when a sudden thought prompted her to stop. She looked up at the tall swordsman with an odd smile. "Hey, can I ask you a question? Why is your name Shannon? That's a strange name for a guy."

"In Gaelic, the name Shannon means _wisdom_. That's where it came from," said Shannon.

"Ohhh, that's cool. My name means _seamstress_ in Japanese." Orihime paused for a moment, looking flustered. She had no idea why she mentioned this trivial fact. The redhead laughed it off with a shrug. "Just in case you want to know."

"And I'm Kurz!" The grinning pilot kneeled in between Shannon and Orihime, placing an intrusive hand on both their shoulders. "_Handsome_ in German!"

"That's bullshit." Roy laughed.

* * *

_"It's only the third day, but a lot of personalities are starting to emerge now."_ Roy said, flashing a vague smile to the camera. _"Kurz is the joker. Orihime is the sweetheart. Shannon is the grump. Meryl is the bossy woman. I'm getting a glimpse of what each of my tribe member is all about. May be these opinions will change over time, or may be not. We'll see."_

When asked what role he played in the tribe, Roy could only laugh. He teased the camera with an amused grin, or perhaps it was an air of self-confidence that he was trying to project. It was difficult to interpret the meaning behind his words, but it was even more difficult to interpret Roy Mustang as a person. _"My role in the tribe is highly dependent on the people around me. I can adjust my personality accordingly to my surroundings. In simpler terms, I can wear a lot of different hats at once. I am what my tribe members want me to be."_ He laughed again. _"But I'm kind of a complex guy. You can't summarize me with just one word."_

_

* * *

_

On the third day of _Survivor: Konoha_, the living conditions in Tsunade were slowly improving. A lot of the players were recovering from their illness. Orihime still looked under the weather, but she maintained such an upbeat attitude throughout these past few days that most people _refused_ to acknowledge her status. If they can forget the fact that Orihime was sick, then they wouldn't have to remind themselves that they have to vote her out tonight.

Everybody loved Orihime Inoue. What a sweet girl – so friendly, so compassionate, so endearing. She was, as Roy had described her, the tribe's sweetheart. But she was also the sickest _and_ the weakest person in the tribe, which made her a very easy target at tribal council.

"It's not fair, but _Survivor_ isn't meant to be fair." Meryl was the first to come in terms with whose name she will be writing down tonight. She was glad to vote for anyone as long as it wasn't her.

However, the other players were not as desperate, nor were they as willing to vote out Orihime. The men, in particular, saw no real reason why they should get rid of somebody they genuinely liked. Sure, she might be sick, but the circumstances were totally out of her control. And sure, she might be the weakest tribe member, but how much stronger were the _other_ women anyway? Why didn't they vote out Mai? Or Meryl? Or Mina?

And that was around the time Mina Aino began to panic.

And when the blonde panicked, she had a tendency to lie.

And in just a few hours, she will tell an enormous fib that will change the entire course of this game.

- - -

In his years as a notorious ladies man, Roy had received many praises from his female companions for being an excellent masseur. His technique included just the right balance of strength and gentleness, being neither too rough nor too weak with his approach. However, the colonel had seldom been the recipient of a relaxing massage himself. Perhaps his expectations were set too high, but he had difficulty finding a satisfactory pair of hands, delicate yet forceful, capable of easing the tenseness in his shoulders. So far in his life, he had only met one woman who could accomplish this feat. And may be after today, he could increase this number to two.

"Just a little gentler, Riza…" Roy muttered unconsciously, forgetting his surroundings for a brief moment. He stopped himself as soon as he realized his mistake, but by then it was too late.

"Mina." The athletic blonde corrected him. She pouted a little. "My name is Mina."

"Ooh. Who's this Riza woman that slipped from your tongue? Is she one of your many conquests?" Kurz leant in closer towards the colonel and grinned.

"I'm sure Roy lost track of his long list of girlfriends." Mina teased, pinching him in the shoulders. "You dog."

"My mistake. I lost myself there for a second." Roy cleared his throat, brushing off the remarks like he didn't hear them. Nonetheless, he was quick to change the subject. "Mina, have anyone ever complimented you on your massages? You're just like a professional."

"Thank you, Roy. I aim to please." Mina laughed.

Since this morning, Mina had been on an explicit campaign to win favour at the upcoming tribal council. She wasn't a stupid girl. She knew that her head was on the chopping block due to her mistake on the first day. And as part of a mission to save herself, the blonde teenager was determined to correct her past wrongs. She began this process by offering her tribe members some _massages_ to ease their back pains.

"I'm next! Do me next, Mina!" Kurz exclaimed with the same enthusiasm commonly found in a child. He had already stripped off his shirt before Mina could reply back.

"I promised Orihime I'll give her a massage first." Mina grinned, patting the pilot's head a few times before she moved towards the perky redhead. "You'll just have to wait in queue."

"Sorry!" Orihime giggled.

* * *

_"Mina is a very clever girl and she's also quite the charmer. There has been talk around camp that she'll get voted out tonight, but I won't say her fate is written in stone yet."_ Kurz grinned at the camera. He always grinned when he was talking about the beautiful ladies in his tribe. _"She's persuasive enough to sway the tribe in her favour. And whatever she's doing, it's working. As long as she plays her cards right, she's not going anywhere."_

_

* * *

_

"Of course, I can give you guys these massages every morning if you want." Mina spoke in a tone that sounded almost too casual and airy. She shifted her baby blue eyes away from her tribe members. "Assuming that I don't get voted out tonight…"

Putting both hands on Orihime's shoulders, Mina began to massage the redhead in a gentle rhythm. She started by rubbing the shoulders in a slow circular motion, which accumulated in speed and strength as time went on. Just as Mina was about to progress to the next stage of her massage, she was interrupted by a sudden movement from Orihime, who reached over to grab the blonde's hand.

"Mina, please don't say that. I don't want you to go." Orihime mumbled.

"Well, I don't want to go either. Trust me…I would love nothing more than to be part of this tribe forever." Mina bit her lips and cast a dejected gaze at the ground. "But that's not up to me to decide. I…I don't have any control."

All of a sudden, a few tears began trickling down her cheeks. She was crying _again_.

"I don't wanna go yet. I want to enjoy the full _Survivor_ experience." Mina muttered, sniffling in between her words. "I want to make the merge. I want to make the jury. I want to make the final two. But…but none of that is going to happen. I…I'm getting voted out first. I just know it!"

Kurz and Roy exchanged glances with each other, yet both men remained silent during her tearful speech. Orihime also had nothing to say, but did her best to console the blonde by stroking her head.

"I…I'm sorry, you guys." Mina tried wiping tears away with her fist, but she continued to weep anyway.

"You can't assume what happens in tribal council, Mina. That means you've lost before you even began," said Orihime.

Mina looked up at her tribe members and was comforted by the sight of Orihime's pleasant smile. However, she also noticed that Roy was staring at her with a stern, yet somewhat amused, expression. His interrogative gaze felt intimidating for some reason. He looked as if he could see right through her. Feeling uncomfortable, Mina turned away and avoided making eye contact with Roy altogether.

"There's still a lot of time before tribal council," said Orihime. She gave a long pause before adding, "Besides, there's still the hidden immunity idol, right?"

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that dainty little thing!" Kurz laughed.

"But that's like finding a needle in a haystack…" Mina sighed.

"You never know until you try." Orihime squeezed the blonde's hand and smiled at her. "If you find the idol, you're guaranteed to stay in this game for three more days."

Mina nodded her head in response. She seemed intrigued by the prospect of a hidden immunity idol, even though locating such an item felt almost impossible. Iruka had mentioned about this crucial item at the beginning of the game, noting that the keeper of the idol will be immune regardless how many votes he or she received at tribal council.

That was it. That was exactly the sort of break that Mina needed to rescue herself.

And now, all she had to do was find it.

* * *

_"In classic fairy tale terms, I'm the damsel in distress. Tribal council is a few hours away and…and I'll be the one who goes."_ Mina sighed to the camera. The atmosphere in this confessional was much different than her jolly and upbeat attitude on the first day. _"So here I am, sitting inside Rapunzel's tower, lying on Sleeping Beauty's bed, and just waiting for a hunky prince to rescue me in the last second. I'm just waiting and waiting until I realize that he's not going to arrive. There's no knight in shining armour. I'll have to do everything by myself."_

She brushed a lock of blonde hair from her eyes. _"I could pull a few heartstrings before the vote, but I doubt it'll make any difference. Orihime is right, the only guarantee of safety I have is that darn immunity idol. I know it's somewhere in this forest, so that's a start. Too bad it's such a gigantic area, so the chances of me finding it are…well, it doesn't matter. I'm going to search this forest high and low until I come out with that idol!"_

_"And when I find it, this whole game is going to change."_ Mina had a determined look in her eyes. _"I'll no longer be the damsel in distress."_

_

* * *

_

- - -

Mina Aino found the hidden immunity idol.

"Yep. Found it in those trees over there. Can't believe I actually found it! I must be the luckiest girl in the world! Ha!" Mina spoke in such an energetic voice that it seemed difficult not to believe her. Her attitude was a complete turnaround from the sulky girl who cried a few hours ago. Now, Mina was all smiles and not a single tear in sight. When Mina returned from her long hike in the forest today, she came back as a woman with newfound confidence, and perhaps something more.

Naturally, Mai did not believe a single word out of that girl's mouth. In fact, she almost laughed out loud when Mina made such a bold announcement to the tribe. Was she so desperate that she would make up an unbelievable lie to save herself?

"Can we see it?" Kurz asked the obvious question.

"I'm not allowed to show you the idol outside of tribal council." Mina replied without missing a beat.

_That's a convenient excuse._ Mai rolled her eyes. The instructions to the hidden immunity idol were so vague that nobody knew if that was true or not. Nonetheless, that tiny detail didn't change anything. Mai still didn't believe that girl's words for a second. _At least have the decency to make a fake idol to go along with your lie, sheesh!_

"Then, how can we believe you?" Kurz asked the next obvious question.

"Does this angelic face look like it belongs to a liar?" Mina grinned.

It was meant to be a cheeky remark, but neither Kurz nor Mai looked very impressed. The pair had been approached by Mina in a secluded part of the forest, where she made a startling revelation just an hour before tribal council.

"Hold on. Why are you telling us this? Wouldn't it be better if you surprise us at tribal council?" Kurz asked.

"Well, I have thought about it." Mina nodded her head, looking somewhat sheepish. "But now that I have the idol, I pretty much hold _all_ of the power at tribal council. And so, I can use it to get a little bargaining my way. If you don't vote with me, then I'll vote against you tonight, and one of you is going home."

"So, you're threatening us?" Mai raised her eyebrows.

"I never knew you could be such a bitch." Kurz laughed nervously.

"I don't want you to make me out as a villain. I'm anything but that." Mina lost her composure for a moment. She sounded flustered as she tried to recollect her thoughts. "I…I'm just a girl who's trying to save herself."

_She's not only a bad liar, but she's also incredibly stupid._ Mai rolled her eyes again, smirking. She decided to entertain Mina for a while, so she played along with this charade.

"Let's say we do vote with you. Who will we be targeting?" Mai asked.

"Meryl." Mina replied.

"Why? She has done nothing to you." Mai snapped hastily.

"It's not that I don't like Meryl, but…" Mina shrugged her shoulders. She didn't have a genuine reason to target the petite woman, other than the fact that she caused some friction on the first day. "But she's a little too mouthy for her own good." She looked shiftily at the two blondes. "Look, if we vote for Meryl, we'll all stay here for three more days. I think it's a great plan." Mina said, nodding her head in reassurance. "Is everyone cool with that?"

"It's not like we have a choice. You're using the idol against us if we oppose." Mai replied with a dry smile.

"Oh well, I never liked the bossypants anyway." Kurz made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

Mina laughed, looking genuinely relieved for the first time today. She thought she was safe. She thought they believed in her story at last. Kurz also appeared relaxed, but the pilot always possessed a light-hearted personality that made him appealing to so many players. Mai, on the other hand, didn't look convinced at all. After all, she had every reason to believe that Mina was lying through her teeth.

So, Mai decided to turn the tables against the liar.

* * *

_"Mina claims she has the hidden immunity idol. And if that's the case, she gave us a legitimate reason to vote her off!"_ Mai shook her head, displaying her pearly white teeth, and grinning like a vicious shark out for blood. _"Besides, I've had enough of Mina already. She's giving out massages to everyone, she's sweet-talking the tribe to do what she wants, she…she's totally stepping onto my territory! Back off!"_

Mai's grin widened in front of the cameras. _"I happen to like Meryl, thank you very much. I think she's a tough chick and I respect the way she speaks her mind. If there's anything I can do about it, I'll make sure she's not the one who goes home tonight."_

_

* * *

_

Kurz quickly spread the news to the rest of his tribe members. By the time Tsunade was ready to leave for tribal council, almost everybody had heard about the scandalous rumour. Everybody knew that Mina could potentially have the hidden immunity idol…all except for Meryl, of course, who still carried the ignorant belief that Orihime would be the first person voted off. Nobody bothered to inform the insurance agent that plans have changed – plans that may not include Meryl in the tribe after tonight's tribal council.

Literally just minutes before departing for tribal council, the four men of Tsunade arranged an impromptu meeting to discuss about the vote. Mai, who was more or less considered the fifth wheel, kept the other women occupied elsewhere at camp.

"Mina gave all of us the same speech." Roy announced to the group. "When each of us was alone, she approached that person with the same underhanded threat. Vote with Mina, or she'll vote against you. That must be her strategy going into tonight's tribal council."

"She gave me the same spiel." Shannon nodded his head.

"That girl got us good," added Zolo.

"Not good enough, I'm afraid." Roy corrected. He looked somewhat amused. "This should be obvious by now, but Mina is a sneak. I want her gone."

"I know Mina is shitting us, and I don't believe she has the idol for a second, but…" Zolo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But my gut is telling me that we should vote for Meryl anyway. Just because she talks too much."

"Meryl _is_ more annoying." Shannon added.

None of the men had forgotten their horrible first impressions of Meryl from the start. It would be difficult to forget what a pain in the ass she was, bossing everyone around with her squeaky, high-pitched voice. However, the petite insurance agent had toned down her personality considerably over these past few days. She was quiet, even demure, and avoided verbal confrontations with her tribe members. However, some first impressions were difficult to overcome. As the first vote loomed in everyone's minds, Meryl did seem like a very convenient choice.

"Meryl is annoying, yes, but she's harmless. She doesn't have a clue what's going on tonight." Roy concluded with a clear and concise analysis. "Mina is more dangerous in the long run. We've all seen how persuasive she is. Who knows what else she can pull off in the future?"

That much was true, but…

"But what if Mina does have the hidden immunity idol?" Kurz asked. He raised the one possibility that nobody had considered seriously. This was evident as the other men turned towards him with knowing glances. "Oh, come on. Don't give me those looks. I know you guys were thinking that too. Somebody had to say it out loud!" The blonde pilot folded his arms across his chest in a defensive manner. "So, what if she does have the idol? What then?"

"I guess we'll find out soon." Roy snapped his fingers conclusively. "Either Mina is the worst liar in the world, or we're in one hell of a shock tonight."

- - -

Meryl took a deep breath before she opened her eyes. Here she was, walking on top of a cliff that overlooked a majestic waterfall below. The surrounding area would have been completely dark had there not been a fire pit located at the centre. The tribal council set was quiet other than the shuffling footsteps, and, even at this altitude, the noise of the waterfall splashes in the background. Iruka was present, standing nearby the fire pit, with his shoulders straight and his hands behind his back. He carried a gentle expression that looked unsuitable in this solemn and gloomy atmosphere.

"Welcome to your first tribal council." Iruka gestured his hand towards the fire pit next to him. "Please light your torches in the fire. Fire represents life in _Survivor_. As long as there's a flame on your torch, you're still in the game."

The eight players did as they were told. Afterwards, they sat down across two wooden bleachers, positioned directly across from where Iruka stood.

After a few moments of shuffling back and forth, everybody was settled in their seats at last.

Tsuande's first tribal council session was about to begin.

Iruka first asked the group a general, open-ended question: _"What went wrong? Why is Tsunade attending tribal council tonight?"_

"To be honest, everything went wrong. We screwed up a lot in the past three days." Meryl would have laughed if the reality wasn't so sad…and so true. "We got lost, we got poisoned, and we got outmatched at the immunity challenge. We basically got defeated in every way imaginable." This time, she did laugh, but it was more of a pitiful laugh more than anything. "We're at the lowest of our lows, and we're just going to sink even lower."

"We got killed in the immunity challenge." Zolo agreed with a nod. He also had an angry scowl on his face, like always. "The worst part was that nobody screwed up or anythin'. We performed our best. There was nuffin' we could change. We got outmatched, through and thorough!"

"That big ninja guy…I can't remember his name, but he's scary. He's the driving force for the other tribe." Kurz added, shuddering. He could still recall how Might Guy breezed past the Tsunade wagon single-handedly, and without even breaking a sweat. It wasn't like anything he had seen before. Kurz wasn't even sure if it was _human_, for one thing. Guy could possibly be a _monster_.

"Meh. He's not as tough as he sounds." Zolo's smirked appeared across his rugged face. "Oh yeah, we can take him on. We'll be ready soon."

"We did manage managed to catch up near the end, kinda." Meryl also nodded her head. "But it was too little too late."

"I heard something about being poisoned. What's that all about?" Iruka asked.

"Mina would know." Meryl smirked.

"I fed my tribe some berries on the first day…" Mina began.

"We call them the _Mina_berries." Meryl interrupted. She thought it was appropriate to include this detail in the explanation, just to remind everyone once again whose fault it was.

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me." Mina rolled her eyes. She never thought tribal council would get so catty. "Anyway, the berries were poisonous and everyone fell ill. And yeah, our tribe collapsed after that." She took a heavy sigh. "It was a mistake. A huge mistake, I admit. But it was a mistake that I never intended to make. I don't think my tribe should hold it against me."

Mina scanned around the tribal council set for any supporters. The only person who looked remotely sympathetic was Orihime, while everyone else seemed ambivalent on the matter. Well, except Meryl, who looked like she wanted to add a few more words just to kick Mina while she was down, but Iruka moved on to another player instead.

"Shannon, why did this happen?"

"I advised against it, but nobody listened." Shannon shrugged his shoulders. "They aren't children anymore. They should know better." He shrugged again. "I think of it as a lesson for everyone. We made a mistake, we learned from it, and we'll move on."

This led to Iruka's next remark: _"You guys sound like you're defeated already. Is there any chance for a comeback, or am I just going to see you at every tribal council from now on?"_

"I'm a firm believer of the motto that once you hit rock bottom, there's nowhere to go but up," said Kurz.

"Well, you know, we're sick right now. So, we aren't performing to the best of our capabilities." Mai justified. A few players nodded their heads, agreeing with what she had said. "Just give us a few more days of rest, and we'll find our feet in these challenges. There're plenty of opportunities for a comeback. Just you wait."

"Survival isn't a sprint. It's a thirty-nine day marathon!" Kurz repeated his favourite saying.

Iruka then asked: _"What can you improve on? What will you do differently next time?"_

"We can try winning, for starters." Roy grinned.

A few players laughed. Perhaps that was the most redeemable characteristic about the Tsunade tribe. They may have hit rock bottom, but at least they knew how to laugh at themselves. They could have been miserable in these past three days, and they had every right to sulk and agonize over their numerous problems. Instead, they took the opposite approach and tried to enjoy their time here, both the good and the bad. Tsunade may be a losing tribe, but they weren't a _hopeless_ tribe. Not yet, anyway.

"Once the group gets healthier, we need to improve our living conditions. Our campsite is a disaster right now." Shannon said, "We don't have shelter, we barely have water, and we don't have any protein in our meals. I'd like us to deal with these problems as soon as possible."

"Um, I just wanted to point out that Shannon has been working _really_ hard over these past few days. He has worked his butt off around camp, and I don't think he gets enough recognition." Orihime smiled gratefully at the swordsman. "If it wasn't for Shannon, we may not have any food or water right now. So, I want to take this time to _thank_ him."

"Yeah, we couldn't have pulled through these last few days without him." Mina nodded her head in agreement. A few others mumbled their agreements as well.

"Is it safe to say that Shannon won't be voted out tonight?" Iruka asked.

"We'd be a bunch of ungrateful jerkwads if we did." Zolo said sheepishly.

Shannon just shrugged his shoulders.

Finally, Iruka ended the tribal council session with one last question: _"Does everyone know who they're voting for tonight?"_

"Unfortunately, yes. I know who I'm voting for tonight." Orihime sadly nodded her head.

"I know who _I_ am voting for tonight." Mina glanced at her other tribe members. "I just wish I knew how everyone else is voting tonight."

"Are you in the outs of your tribe, Mina? You don't seem very certain…" Iruka pointed out.

"I hope not." Mina crossed her fingers and smiled weakly. "I'm not ready to be voted off tonight. I want to stay here until the end and I want to enjoy my _Survivor_ experience to the fullest extent." She glanced at her tribe members again. "Please, you guys. Not me tonight. That's all I'm asking for. Give me another chance."

"And on that note, let's get to the vote." Iruka clapped his hands together. "We should all know how it works. Mai, you're up first."

Each player must cross a flimsy rope bridge in order to arrive at the voting booth, which was located on a separate mountain. In spite of the altitude and the apparent shakiness, Mai was confident as she walked across the bridge, as long as she did not look down at the terrifying view below. Moments later, she made her arrival, safe and sound. Mai then walked up to the voting booth. On the table was a black ink marker and a piece of parchment. She wasted no time scribbling down Mina's name.

After she was finished writing, Mai displayed her vote to the camera.

"Mina, I'm voting for you because you pose a threat to my game. You talked us into eating those berries and you almost talked us into believing that you had the idol. It would have worked too if you weren't such a bad liar." Mai smirked. "I'm worried that if you stay, you can influence the men to keep you around even longer. That doesn't bode well with me, so you must go."

The blonde folded her vote in half and dropped it into the voting urn. Before she turned around, Mai made one last remark to the camera.

"And besides, you're a bit of a _phony_."

The next person to vote was Meryl, who was far more hesitant about the rope bridge. After receiving reassurance from Iruka that it was a stable piece of infrastructure, she slowly tiptoed her way to the voting booth. Meryl sighed in relief when she landed on the other side, although she took a _very_ long time in order to arrive there.

Once the hard part was out of the way, Meryl grabbed the marker and quickly scribbled seven letters on the parchment. She held up her vote, revealing Orihime's name.

"Nothing against you. You're the weakest out of everyone. Uh, it's not really your fault that you're like this, but it's how the cookie crumbles. Tough luck."

Mina voted next, also struggling with the rope bridge at first. She managed to walk across it by keeping her eyes on the voting booth. Once she arrived, the blonde teenager wrote down Meryl's name on her piece of parchment.

"Sorry, Meryl. You came across as too lippy at the start, and you're branded with that image forever. I don't like using your personality against you, but I'm trying to preserve myself. Just remember, first impressions last forever."

Orihime cast her vote and returned. The four men followed, one by one, all voting identically against the same person. Some of the women didn't realize it yet, but the men's votes would become the deciding factor in who goes home tonight. It wasn't a formal alliance per say, but rather a spontaneous decision that they all agreed on under the limited circumstances. Or at least that was what Roy implied when he tried justifying the reason with his vote. He didn't put it in so many words, since he was the last person to vote for the night, and he was trying to keep his explanation brief.

"You didn't play your cards right." Roy said with a shrug.

He inserted his parchment in the voting urn, thus sealing one tribe member's fate forever. Roy didn't fret too much about his decision, because like everybody else, he was just glad it wasn't him.

- - -

Iruka quickly tallied the results and returned to the main area with the voting urn. He announced that once the votes were read, the person voted off will be asked to leave tribal council area immediately. He took a long dramatic pause before he actually pulled out the first parchment.

After another long pause, he turned over the vote.

"_Orihime_."

The perky redhead nodded her head, trying to maintain an optimistic attitude regardless.

Iruka pulled out the second vote.

_"Mina."_

Unlike Orihime, the teenager struggled to think positively as soon as she saw her name on a parchment. Despite her usual sunny disposition, Mina just wasn't feeling very confident about tonight's vote. But she didn't want her game to end yet. Not yet.

_"Meryl."_

For somebody who thought she was safe tonight, Meryl's confidence was shaken when the third vote was read. She knew she made a bad first impression, but she thought she could make up for her past wrongs over her good behaviour in these past two days. Apparently, some people found it difficult to forgive and forget. Wherever the origin of the vote came from, Meryl only hoped it would be the last time she saw her name tonight.

_"Meryl."_ Iruka repeated the name a second time as he read out another vote. "That's two votes for Meryl, one vote for Mina, and one vote for Orihime."

Meryl shook her head in disbelief, surprised by the sight of her name again. One vote was fine, considering that it probably came from Mina. But two votes meant that she was in danger, even though this came as a total shock to her. The petite insurance agent scanned over everybody's faces, wondering if there had been some sort of conspiracy against her at the last minute. Most of her tribe members appeared unfazed, except for Mai, who looked a little irked by this vote.

The petite insurance agent closed her eyes when Iruka pulled out the fifth parchment. She expected the worst.

_"Mina."_

The blonde raised her head up in alarm. It was now her time to panic. Whatever comfort Mina felt when she saw Meryl's name appear twice had vanished by the sight of her own name again. For a moment, she thought she was rescued by her tribe members, who must have felt sympathetic to her last minute pitch, or pitied her precarious circumstances, or even feared her claim that she had the hidden immunity idol. That was not the case though, as witnessed by the reappearance of her name.

They gave her a false glimmer of hope and then they took it away from her again.

_"Mina."_ Iruka said, "That's three votes for Mina, two votes for Meryl, and one vote for Orihime."

Mina leaned forward, trying to read the tiny messy handwriting on the parchment. She quickly deduced that it was written by a man. And that was when she knew it was over.

_"Mina."_

Her name was read out again, even though simple mathematics indicated that the outcome had already been settled. A few players appeared puzzled by an apparently useless action from Iruka, but there was method to his madness.

"The first person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_…" Iruka declared, flipping over the final piece of parchment. _"Mina."_

A moment of lingering anxiety filled the tribal council area when Mina did not leave her seat, as most people did when such an announcement was made. Iruka then turned towards the teenager, with slight surprise, and asked the dreaded question on everybody's mind.

"Mina, do you have the hidden immunity idol?"

An extremely nervous Meryl studied the blonde's face for her reaction. If Mina did have the hidden immunity idol, she'd be immune from the outcome tonight. Suddenly, it became clear as to why Iruka had read out the extra vote, just to ensure that Mina had the majority of the votes, and Meryl had the second highest amount. In the occasion where Mina used the idol, Meryl would be voted out instead.

_Ohhhhh crap._ Meryl simply thought, reacting the only way she knew how.

"I don't." Mina shook her head sadly. "I don't have it."

Meryl felt her heart stopped beating for a second, but that was the last time she would feel surprised tonight. There was no hidden immunity idol, which meant the outcome was now official: Mina Aino was gone for good.

Mina stood up, grabbed her torch, and walked over to Iruka without looking once at her tribe. Her face was stoic, visibly devoid of any emotion or expression. She might have entered the game as a lively and innocent schoolgirl, but she exited as someone a little wiser about the harsh realities of human nature.

"Mina, the tribe has spoken." Iruka said, snuffing out the blonde's torch. "It's time for you to go."

She nodded her head in acceptance. Then, Mina silently walked past Iruka and followed a designated route to exit tribal council. The players watched her leave, the image of her body soon devoured by the darkness as she disappeared from _Survivor_ forever.

"This is only the beginning. If you don't shape up, you'll be back here again three days later." Iruka smiled at the castaways. "It has been a long night. Go back to camp and get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day."

Meryl walked behind everybody else during an uneventful hike back to the Tsunade campsite. While her tribe members were worried about navigating in the dark, she had other worrisome thoughts on her mind. The outcome of tonight's tribal council surprised her, since she thought Orihime would have been voted off instead of Mina. Furthermore, there was the puzzling matter of her two outstanding votes, which she did not expect to receive. She knew one came from Mina for whatever reasons, but who cast the second vote against her?

That was the one question Meryl would never solve for the remainder of her time in this game. After all, she would never have suspected Orihime – sweet, innocent, angelic Orihime – to be the actual criminal she was looking for. The bubbly redhead was informed that Mina would leave tonight by multiple people, but she voted against Meryl anyway. This was partly due to sympathy for poor ostracized Mina, but mostly because Orihime thought ahead and realized that if Mina did have the hidden immunity idol, then a second vote against Meryl would ensure the latter went home instead of her.

Even so, that problem was not what troubled Meryl the most. As she walked back to camp tonight, she noticed that three _women_ had received votes, while all of the _men_ left tribal council unscathed. A _female_ exited the game, while the four _males_ remained intact and now held the majority of the votes.

Suddenly, the big picture was becoming clearer, and the facts were emerging to the surface.

Meryl thought her worries would end tonight. But now, she realized they were just beginning.

- - -

_**Mina's Final Words**_

First impressions last forever. I tried my best to save myself, I really did. The odds were stacked against me since the beginning though, and there was so little I could do. I thought I'd last much longer in the game, but luck wasn't on my side. It's funny too, because if I didn't find those gosh darn Minaberries, I wouldn't have been voted off. Oh stupid Minaberries – I _hate_ that name.

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**Orihime discovers an unlikely friend in her tribe…**  
_Orihime: You have a lot to learn about women, young grasshopper._  
_Shannon: Young grasshopper?_  
(Shannon looks confused. Orihime just giggles.)  
_Shannon: Hey, what are you trying to imply?_

**Mai makes a move on her man…**  
_Mai: I love the smell of men in the morning._  
(Mai cuddles next to a sleeping Kurz. She grins at the camera.)  
_Mai: It smells like…victory._

**And somebody finds the hidden immunity idol…**  
_Faye: Look at him. He's hiding something._  
(Harley and Faye are spying on another player behind a tree. They whisper back and forth.)  
_Harley: Are you sure?_  
_Faye: He has it._

_**All this and more on - Episode 2: Vixens Attack**_

- - -


	2. Episode 2: Vixens Attack

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Tsunade began __the game on a low note, poisoning themselves with the berries that Mina discovered. Meanwhile, Jiraiya struggled to make fire and maintain harmony within the group. But whereas Tsunade slumped in their sickness, Jiraiya thrived under the leadership of Holland and the strength of Guy. Despite a setback from Keitaro, they emerged victorious in the immunity challenge, sending Tsunade to tribal council. In a desperate attempt to save herself, Mina claimed that she had a hidden immunity idol and threatened her tribe to vote out the mouthy Meryl. However, Tsunade called Mina's buff at tribal council, where she became the first person voted off._

_Fifteen castaways remain. Who will be voted out next?_

**Episode Two****: Vixens Attack**

Jiraiya Tribe** : Asuka** _(Neon Genesis Evangelion)_, **Bulma** _(Dragonball Z)_,** Faye** _(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Guy** _(Naruto)_, **Harley** _(Pokemon)_, **Holland** _(Eureka Seven)_, **Kari **_(Digimon)_, **Keitaro** _(Love Hina)_

Tsunade Tribe **: Kurz **_(Full Metal Panic!), _**Mai** _(Yu-gi-oh)_, **Meryl** _(Trigun)_, **Orihime **_(Bleach)_, **Roy** _(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon** _(Scrapped Princess)_, **Zolo** _(One Piece)_

- - -

**DAY 4**

When Mai woke up this morning, she found herself wrapped in the sheltering embrace of Kurz Weber. She felt at ease with his burly arms draped intimately around her waist. She rested in this position for a moment, allowing the warmth of their bodies to envelop her senses. It was then she noticed his luscious lips were mere inches away from her own. She drew herself closer, yet she fought off the strong urge to plant a kiss on the sleeping pilot. Instead, she laid her head on his broad shoulder and closed her eyes again. It had been a while since Mai felt so comfortable by a man's presence. She wanted to enjoy this fleeting moment as long as it would last.

"You awake?" Kurz whispered.

She opened her eyes and saw the handsome pilot grinning toothily at her. Having just woken up, he looked a bit groggier than usual, but his cheerful grin was still as infectious as ever. Mai couldn't help but feel a small smile creep across her face.

"Good morning, stranger." Mai whispered back, tapping him on the nose. "Did you sleep well?"

"Best night of sleep I had since I've been here. It helps when there's a cuddle buddy by my side." Kurz laughed. "We should do this every night."

"What am I? Your pillow?" Mai teased playfully. She pulled herself away from the pilot, but he grabbed her hand and prevented her from rising.

"_Pillows_." Kurz corrected, his lecherous gaze now fixated on her bosom. "And may I add they're some damn nice pillows!"

_**Mai: **__Last night, Kurz and I did a little snuggling to keep warm. He's a simple guy, so I know exactly what he wants. Mind you, we both know this relationship is nothing more than a harmless fling. But as long as it helps bring Kurz closer to me, I don't care what happens between us._

She flashed the camera a triumphant smile, one that visibly indicated she felt quite proud of her accomplishment.

_**Mai: **__Of course, it gets lonely out here, so it's always nice to wake up next to a man. Ah…I love the smell of men in the morning. It smells like…victory.__**  
**_

Zolo narrowed his squinty little eyes at the two blondes, not liking what he saw. He watched the couple from a distance as they continued displaying their affection in a very blatant manner. Zolo felt uncomfortable being somewhat of a voyeur, although the stubborn pirate would never admit to such a shameful deed. He tried averting his gaze away from them, but the couple was now walking towards him, much to his dismay.

"Hey Zolo!" Kurz exclaimed with his usual airiness.

"I hate your face." Zolo scowled.

"…and good morning to you too!" Kurz responded without missing a beat. He faced the pirate with a raised eyebrow. "I see that you're grumpy as always. So, what's wrong with you today?"

"You remind me too much of Sanji." Zolo grumbled.

"Sanji?" Kurz repeated the foreign name to himself. He made a face at Zolo. "Who the hell are you talking about, marimo?"

"He's just some asshole I know…never mind." Zolo rubbed his forehead in frustration. He then glared at the two grinning blondes. "What do you want from me?"

"We need your help to build a shelter." Mai demanded. From her strict and authoritative tone of voice, it was clear that 'no' would not be an acceptable answer to her request. "It sucks sleeping on the ground every night."

"I'm not in the mood." Zolo smirked, putting his hands behind his head.

"You _will _help us. It's a team project," said Mai.

"Hmm." Zolo remained unfazed. "Have you talked to the others?"

"Does it matter? We're building a shelter. End of story." Mai snapped her fingers conclusively.

Zolo grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, but Mai ignored him as her attention was diverted elsewhere. She somehow found herself staring at his bare chest, eyeing the deep scar on his torso with fascination. Eventually, she couldn't resist the temptation to step forward and give his muscular biceps a firm squeeze.

"What the hell are you doing, woman?" Zolo frowned.

"_Damn_, this body is killer! You ought to put these guns to use more often, tough guy!" Mai laughed. She licked her lips in what seemed to be a seductive manner, but Zolo couldn't tell for sure. Her feminine wiles had no effect on him whatsoever.

"Save your breath. Your shit doesn't work on real men." Zolo grunted, shaking the blonde's hands off his body.

"Do I look like I care?" Mai rolled her eyes, albeit the slight tinge of disappointment in her voice contradicted her. "You're no fun."

_**Zolo: **__Mai is a dangerous woman. And when I say dangerous, I mean that she's a no-good snake in the grass who cannot be trusted. She might be surprised to know how many men are immune to her charms. The only sucker around this joint is Weber, who'll end up regretting his association with that woman. She's playing him like a fiddle and he's too smitten to realize it._

Despite the rejection, Mai quickly rebounded and regained her composure once more. She cocked her head back and placed her hands on her hips, creating a rather dominant stance that would have made most people a little wary. The fearless Zolo, of course, was not one of them.

"Are you building the shelter or not?" Mai asked.

"Let Shannon do it." Zolo shrugged lazily. "That guy is a workhorse. He'll build the damn thing for sure."

"Yeah, he's like the housekeeper of Tsunade. It's awesome!" Kurz grinned.

"You're dumping all the work on Shannon?" Mai glared.

"Do you have a problem with it?" Zolo asked.

"No, of course not." Mai shook her head and smirked. "I just thought you two might need to consult with Roy first. Doesn't he make the decisions around here?"

"Where did you get that idea?" Kurz laughed.

"Isn't he the de facto leader of the pack?" Mai prodded, looking as if she was expecting a more elaborate answer.

"Hell no! He's not the _de-fatto _whatever of me!" Zolo scoffed, dismissing the remark as if it was a stupid joke. "Who'd want to take orders from that sleaze?"

"Ah, that's…interesting." Mai said, her smirk growing even wider. "Very interesting…"

_**Mai: **__It's obvious the men have an alliance, but the good news is that they're not as unified as it seems. I'm still figuring out their dynamics. Like, who makes the decisions? And where do the weak links exist? I need to be prepared for the battles ahead. If the men think they can pick me off right after they're finished with Meryl and Orihime, they can think again. I'm not going down that easily._

She paused and pulled her blonde curly hair behind her back. This allowed Mai's vigorous face to be brought in full display to the camera.

_**Mai: **__You see, I'm what some people call…a vixen – a shrewd, attractive, and dangerous woman. Men fear me because whenever I'm in danger, I have only one defence mechanism: I attack._

- - -

As usual, Holland was meandering around the Jiraiya campsite dressed in nothing more than his underwear. This display of immodesty typically drew a few uncomfortable glances and several light-hearted complaints for him to put on some clothes. Today, Holland heard nothing of that sort. In fact, he heard nothing at all, other than the orchestra of snores that originated from the shelter. Even though noon was fast approaching, half the tribe was still asleep. Holland was beginning to think his tribe members enjoyed the comforts of their new shelter, in addition to the leisure of immunity, a little _too _much for their own good. And unsurprisingly, he wasn't alone with that thought.

"They're still sleeping? Unbelievable! The springtime of youth should be up and lively, not down and sleepy!" Guy exclaimed as he returned from his seventh firewood trip this morning. He dropped the huge bundle of wood nearby Holland's feet.

"That's enough firewood to last us a whole year." Holland muttered, eyeing the clutter on the ground. "Yet, we still don't have a fire started…"

"Optimism, my friend! Optimism! Look into my eyes and let the optimism of youth penetrate your soul!" Guy laughed.

Holland blinked a few times, not knowing how to respond to such a bizarre remark. Instead, he chose to ignore the ninja completely.

"Without a fire, we can't cook food, we can't boil water, we can't keep warm, and we can't protect ourselves if a dangerous animal comes to attack us." Holland shook his head, almost defeated. "We _need _a fire."

"It'll happen sooner or later. Of course, it'd help if _some _people would stop snoozing and help out!" Guy said, sounding a little more serious than before. He shot an annoyed glance at the shelter, where four tribe members were still sleeping. Even from a distance, he could identify who the slackers were: Asuka, Bulma, Faye, and Harley.

"A few of them are up." Holland said in a nonchalant manner. "Kari and Keitaro are in the forest. They're finding some fruits for lunch."

"Good! I'm impressed!" Guy gave an approving nod.

Guy turned his head towards the shelter for another look. He watched Harley, who had just woken up, stagger out, glance around at the seemingly deserted campsite, and then climb back into the shelter to continue his slumber. It was at that point Guy drew the bottom line. Feeling outraged at the apparent laziness, he decided something had to be done.

"I shall wake them up!" Guy began marching towards the shelter, but stopped after a few steps. He glanced back at Holland, expecting some support. However, the leader remained still and displayed no intention to join Guy on his mission. A little frustrated, the Konoha ninja left without him.

_**Guy: **__My way of the ninja is try hard, and work harder. For my tribe members to lounge around and expect everything to be done for them, it…it really breaks my heart. If they want to succeed, they'll need better work ethics. And I'm going to tell them. Somebody has to!_

At the age of fifty, Bulma had a reasonable fear that she would be a hindrance to her tribe. She might look young in appearance, thanks to the miracles of expensive cosmetics and lucky genetics, but her aging body had a certain limitation in physical prowess. It meant that the work younger tribe members did required twice the effort and energy from Bulma. Thus, her body tired more easily and she required adequate rest to accommodate her flaw.

Yesterday had been a tiresome day for Bulma. Her tribe made finishing touches on the shelter, which required the efforts of everybody in order to put it together. In addition, she spent hours working to build a fire, but with no evident success. By the end of last night, she felt drained of all energy and could barely move a muscle. Bulma was just glad she could sleep in for a few extra hours today, so that she could gain back the strength she had lost earlier.

Or so she thought.

"RISE AND SHINE!!!" Guy's voice rang through the campsite like the obnoxious sound of an alarm. "The spirit of Konoha frowns upon sloth! WAKE UP!"

Bulma could hear a few disgruntled complaints before she even opened her eyes. Those voices belonged to Faye and Harley, neither who were pleased with being awakened to such aggravating noise. Bulma still felt too drowsy to react accordingly, but it was a well-known fact among the tribe that she was not a morning person.

"Oh…merciful…heavens…" Harley grumbled. He tried to block out the ninja's voice by covering his ears. "Make him stop."

"He could make a corpse stir with that voice." Faye muttered.

"The early bird gets the worm…and the late bird gets its poop! Wake up!" Guy continued hollering, even though most of the tribe had risen by now. Only Asuka remained motionless in the shelter, it being either the defiance of a teenager or the indication of a very heavy sleeper. "Wake up! Wake up!"

"Okay, okay, okay! We get the message!" Bulma shouted impatiently. "Shut up!"

"Wake up!"

"Shut up!"

"WAKE UP!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Kill me now." Faye sighed as she lied down on the shelter floor. It was impossible to go back to sleep with so much noise coming from both ends of the camp. She glanced over at Harley, who still had his hands pressed against his ears.

"This is like the worst morning ever." Harley mumbled.

_**Holland: **__Laziness stems from complacency. I'm worried that some of us are too dependent on Guy winning the challenges and doing all the work for them. That said, I don't think Guy handled the situation very well. He's not a diplomatic person and he lacks the social graces to not offend others with his bizarre ways. And unfortunately, he has bizarre written all over him._

Holland offered a dry smile to the camera.

_**Holland: **__Sure, Guy is a great asset to the tribe and everything. I like him, but at the end of the day, I wouldn't want him as my ally._

By the time Holland, in an ambling stride, arrived at the shelter, all of its occupants had left the parameters. Guy's voice was so grating that it drove them away from him as far as possible. The only exception was Asuka, who managed to sleep through the whole ordeal. However, Bulma almost dragged that girl out of the shelter with force, reasoning that if she wasn't able to sleep, then nobody else should either. And so, Jiraiya was fully awake and Guy somehow fulfilled his mission.

"I wonder if the other tribe heard me." Guy turned to Holland with a grin.

"I think your voice echoed through the entire village of Konoha, to be honest." Holland grinned back.

"At least the slackers are awake." Guy said, satisfied.

"True. But sometimes…sometimes you have to compromise." Holland's smile began fading away. "Don't push them too hard. They did a lot of work yesterday and they should rest for the next challenge. I don't want this tribe to fall apart at its seams."

"Just because we won the last immunity, it doesn't give us the right to slack off. We have to constantly strive for the best!" Guy exclaimed.

"Hey, we don't have to be the best." Holland smirked. "We just have to be slightly better than the other tribe."

- - -

Roy Mustang never knew he could be such a gentleman. Women had called him many things in the past, ranging from handsome to charming to arrogant to downright sexist, but nobody had ever considered him a _gentleman_. That was more of an appropriate term to describe Shannon or even Keitaro from the other tribe. Roy saw himself as more of an aggressive man, somebody who was not afraid to ruffle a few feathers when the situation demanded it. A gentleman, in his mind, was not a suitable title for a powerful and important colonel like himself.

"You're a real gentleman, Roy." Orihime said.

"Why would you say that?" Roy asked, although he knew the answer very well. Sometimes, he just liked to hear other people praise him for his few good deeds. His ego demanded it.

"You just are!" Orihime shrugged her shoulders. "You have the gentle face of a man."

Roy wasn't sure if her last sentence made any sense, but he knew better than to question the bubbly redhead's way of thinking. In the past few days, he had found out that Orihime was a bit of an airhead. He thought it might be an act at first, but he soon learned that she was indeed – and Roy hated to be this frank – not that bright of a girl. But what she lacked in common sense, she made it up with her tremendous compassion and kindness towards everyone. Orihime was unarguably the _nicest _person on Tsunade, and it was difficult for anybody to say a bad word against her.

Just this afternoon, Orihime had volunteered to retrieve water for the tribe. Although she was ill, the redhead still tried her best to contribute as much as possible. She reasoned that she had no excuse to be lazy. In fact, being sick meant she would have to work extra hard to redeem her worth. It was the reason why she had made that long trip to the water hole despite her flimsy condition. And it was also why Roy opted to accompany her on this trip, for a sick and fragile girl like her was not suited to travelling alone in an unpredictable forest.

"You didn't have to come with me out here. I would've been fine by myself," said Orihime.

"No, I insist. After all, three eyes are better than two." Roy grinned.

"That's why you're a gentleman." Orihime flashed a grateful smile at the handsome colonel. "Thanks anyway."

"You look a little healthier today. Are you feeling better?" Roy asked.

"Kind of. You know that feeling when you're on a rollercoaster and you're about to reach the highest point? And at that moment, you realize your seatbelt is loose and you worry that you'll die when the rollercoaster comes crashing down. Except by the time you open your eyes, the ride is already finished!" Orihime let out a small girlish giggle. "I've never been on a rollercoaster before, but I imagine that's what I'm feeling right now."

"Hmm. That's interesting." Roy offered one of his vague stock answers that he sometimes used on his subordinates and boring dates. He nodded his head as if he understood what Orihime had said. "Glad to hear everything is alright."

_**Roy: **__At the moment, Orihime is on the chopping block. She's pleasant enough to avoid it last time, but we can't overlook her ailing health anymore. Everyone in Tsunade has recovered from the poison except her. And for that reason, she's the most logical choice to vote out next._

The smile on Roy's face began to fade away.

_**Roy: **__How do I cheer up a girl for whom the guillotine is drawing nearer and nearer? The answer is simple – I don't. I finish my business, wash my hands, and move on to the next victim._

Several minutes later, the two of them arrived at the water hole. Roy surprised himself once again by offering to do the manual labour all by himself. Orihime did not argue with him, knowing the limits to her capabilities very well. So, she watched from the sidelines as Roy filled up various pots and canteens with water.

"I'm going to feel better soon," said Orihime with a faint smile. The soft-spoken redhead paused for a moment and gazed absentmindedly at the sky. "Just a few more days, and I'll be as good as new!"

"Shannon and Meryl are finding more medicine right?" Roy asked, steering the conversation into another direction. He just didn't have the heart to tell Orihime she might not last that long in the game.

"Yep! Shannon said he might know another place where he can find those red leaves, so he set off this afternoon with Meryl." Orihime replied. "Shannon is great, isn't he? I bet he'd make a good husband to a lucky girl some day."

"I don't think he's into girls." Roy smirked.

"What?" Orihime's head perked up.

"I saw him check out my ass the other day. True story." Roy let out an exasperated sigh. "He couldn't keep his eyes off me. He violated my body with his eyes."

Orihime's eyes widened in disbelief for a moment, and then she narrowed them suspiciously. She studied the colonel's face for a few seconds, and while Roy tried turning away, he couldn't suppress an amused smile that betrayed his expression.

"Roy…you liar!" Orihime laughed.

"Gotchya." Roy grinned.

"I'm glad you two have a good laugh at my expense."

All of a sudden, a dull and masculine voice spoke behind them, startling both Orihime and Roy. In a rare moment where he was caught off guard, Roy actually dropped the pot that he was holding, thus spilling water everywhere on the ground. Shannon grumbled as he rushed over to help him, picking up the fallen pot in one easy swoop.

"And that's why you don't talk behind people's backs, Mustang. You never know who might be listening." Shannon warned. The tall swordsman towered over the pair, with his arms crossed and his face looking even more rigid than usual. Standing beside him was the petite Meryl, still grinning mischievously at Roy's little joke.

"What a coincidence!" Orihime exclaimed, not yet realizing that the swordsman had been standing behind them for a while now. "Shannon, we were just talking about you!"

"Yes, I heard." Shannon muttered, sounding unimpressed.

"Any luck finding the medicine?" Roy asked.

"The forest is dry. We couldn't find anything." Meryl shook her head sadly.

"You tried your best." Orihime flashed them a sincere smile. "I'm feeling much better today, so I'm going to be okay. Don't worry about me!"

"I'll try again tomorrow." Shannon grunted.

"Shannon, it's okay. Please…please don't work yourself too hard. Look, I'm feeling much, much better!" Orihime laughed, stretching her arms out to demonstrate her point. At that moment, quite ironically, she also let out three rapid sneezes in a row. Sneezing wasn't a common symptom found in her illness, but it did nothing to support her argument.

"I'm going to look for more leaves tomorrow." Shannon repeated, causing Orihime to sigh in defeat. There was no way she would be able to convince him now.

"You two have been at this for the past few hours. Impressive." Roy noted, nodding his head a few times in approval. "I'm not one to give out compliments, but you must've worked really hard."

"Well, you know…I don't mind working and stuff." Meryl said, shifting her lavender eyes away from the colonel as she spoke. "Anything for Orihime, I suppose."

_**Meryl: **__I feel bad because I wasn't looking for the medicine. I'm sure Shannon had genuine intentions, but I only kept him company because…well, because I was trying to find the hidden immunity idol. I know it's in the forest and I spent the entire afternoon searching for the stupid thing. No luck so far, but I'll try again tomorrow._

She bit her lips, which was a subtle indication that she felt quite frustrated by her lack of success.

_**Meryl: **__Last night's tribal council made me realize how precarious my position is. I'm really scared right now, because I think I'm the next to go. The only thing I can do is to work hard and get my hands on that idol. Find it first, and worry later…_

- - -

Meryl wasn't alone in her search for the idol. On the other tribe, Faye and Harley made an even more strenuous effort to seek the much coveted item. The two of them began as individuals, but soon teamed up to increase their chances of success. In a vast forest where the idol could be hidden in so many different places, teamwork became an advantageous asset. Unfortunately, the hours they devoted to this task brought back little results. Although both Faye and Harley were willing to search through the evening, the sun began to set and their only source of light was diminishing away. The pair had no choice but to retreat.

"Did you find anything?" Harley asked.

"Zip." Faye shook her head. "What about you?"

"Nothing! Ugh, this is so frustrating!" Harley grumbled. "Where could it be?"

"Well, we know it's not in the east side of the forest. That part was thoroughly searched," said Faye.

"_Twice_." Harley reminded her.

"At least it narrows down the scope. Tomorrow, we'll search the west side and work our way around the forest." Faye placed her hands on her hips. "We're going to tear this place apart."

"And when we find the idol, the two of us will share it." Harley added, "If you're in danger, I'll give it to you and vice-versa. That's how it's going to work, right?"

"You know it." Faye winked.

"Nice doing business with you, Miss Valentine." Harley grinned, extending his hand to the bounty huntress. They shook hands, confirming their deal with the idol and potentially even more.

_**Faye: **__Harley tells me he doesn't have the immunity idol, but he could be lying to me. I don't know how honest he is with me. I mean, I know I'm not being completely honest with him either, so…so if I find the idol, I'm not going to tell him anything._

She smirked at the camera.

_**Faye: **__Tough luck, bitch._

"You know I've got your back." Faye told Harley on their way back to camp. She was so used to flattering people that her expression didn't even change as she lied through her teeth.

"I'm totally on your side, sweetheart." Harley laughed.

"Let's say we start an alliance. Five makes a majority, so we need three more people." Faye proposed, "Any suggestions?"

"Bulma must be in our plans no matter what. I simply _adore _that woman!" Harley replied without hesitation. He brushed a long strand of hair away from his cheeks and laughed. "She has sass, spunk, and style all in one neat little package. Love her!"

Faye shrugged her shoulders. The genius inventor was far from first on her list, but the two women didn't seem to have any problems with each other so far. If Harley was so set on having her in the alliance, then Faye supposed she would compromise. As long as it benefited her, she didn't care exactly who was in the alliance.

"Personally, I want Holland with us." Faye suggested, "He could be the ringleader of our alliance and deflect attention off us."

"We'll let him think he's making the decisions, while we pull the strings from the back. Oh, it's perfect! I love it!" Harley added with a girlish giggle. "Okay, we have you, me, Bulma, and Holland so far. Who's going to be our fifth?"

The pair exchanged troubled glances with each other. They were stumped. Their brainstorming session came to a sudden halt since neither could bring up an appropriate name. Bulma and Holland had been easy enough choices, but the remaining tribe members each had their own faults and quirks that made them undesirable allies. One more person in the alliance would make a big difference, but who shall that person be?

"Well, I can tell you who I _don't _want in my alliance – Asuka." Faye replied at last. "That girl has a big chip on her shoulder. She's just too…angry."

"And too arrogant." Harley nodded in agreement.

"And too aggressive," added Faye.

"And too annoying," Harley said for the sole purpose of continuing the pattern. He tried picturing the confident teenager in his head, but the image of her unpleasant scowl made him shiver. "Ugh. I'm convinced. It'd be impossible to work with Asuka."

"How about Kari?" Faye asked. "She seems harmless."

"No…way…in…hell!" Harley waved his arms wildly in the air to emphasize his point. He had not yet forgiven the misunderstanding between himself and Kari, even though it happened three days ago. The petite DigiDestined was still a nuisance in his eyes, for now anyway.

"We might as well cross Guy off the list too." Faye muttered bitterly.

"He's absolutely unbearable!" Harley shrieked.

"I don't think he likes us anyway." Faye stated, hitting closer to the truth than she realized. "He's not only a threat, but he's an _obnoxious _threat. He proved it this morning."

"So, that leaves us with one person…" Harley mumbled.

"Keitaro." Faye felt her eyes roll to the top of her head when she spoke of this name. "Here's the guy who couldn't even finish a simple puzzle. An alliance with him is meaningless…there's no way he'll last long in the game. He's cannon fodder."

"What a loser!" Harley formed the letter 'L' with his hand and placed it over his forehead. "Ugh. Why do all the men in our tribe _suck _so much?"

_**Harley: **__Hallelujah, it's raining men? Unfortunately no, all the buff and good-looking guys landed on the other tribe. Meanwhile, I'm stuck with a bunch of duds and zeroes. Keitaro? Ew. And Holland? Double ew. And…and Guy!? That ugly haircut, those ridiculous clothes, and the eccentric mannerisms! Oh, he's just too much!_

"But I suppose Keitaro isn't that bad…" Harley added as an afterthought. He rubbed his index finger against his chin. "He's a nice guy. May be a little vanilla, but he's essentially a nice guy at heart."

"He might not be good in challenges, but he's tolerable around camp." Faye agreed.

"Do you think he can be our fifth?" Harley asked.

"Well, speaking of Keitaro…" Faye lowered her voice to a soft murmur. She grabbed Harley's arm and stopped him from taking another step forward. "Look at who we have here…"

Some distance ahead, they could see Keitaro Urashima standing on his tiptoes, the front of his lanky body pressing against a tree trunk. He was just tall enough for his arm to touch one of the branches dangling from above. He struggled to grasp the branch for a while, occasionally grabbing it and letting it slip out of his fingers again. This process repeated itself a few times until Keitaro succeeded at last. He finally had one hand clutching onto a thin branch, while he used his other hand to remove a sphere-like object from the tree.

The item was small in size, but it was big enough for Faye and Harley to make out its shape from where they were standing. It almost resembled a tennis ball, except this item had a rich golden bronze coat that wrapped entirely around its body. Keitaro stared at his item with admiration for a few seconds before he carefully inserted it in his pocket.

"Look at him. He's hiding something," Faye whispered.

Her voice must have been too loud, for it alerted Keitaro that somebody else was in the proximity. His expression instantly turned shifty, and he looked more and more like a guilty criminal caught in the act. Keitaro turned around, scanning his surroundings for any possible intruders or spies. It was fortunate that Faye and Harley hid in a discreet blind spot behind a large coniferous tree, thus they remained undetected by Keitaro's surveillance.

Although he couldn't discover anyone, Keitaro didn't seem convinced that he was alone, so he made a rather abrupt departure. Luck was on Faye and Harley's side again, since he left in the opposite direction from where they were concealing themselves. The pair remained in their hiding spot for several minutes, just to make sure that he left the area and would not return. Once the coast was clear, they ran towards the mysterious tree.

"There doesn't seem to be anything." Harley muttered after examining the branches for a few seconds. "All I see is leaves."

"You're not looking hard enough!" Faye snapped, although she couldn't see anything significant herself.

"It looks like he was holding an amulet of some sort, doesn't it?" Harley asked.

"That could be the hidden immunity idol." Faye's eyes lit up.

"Are you sure?" Harley gasped.

"He has it. Didn't you see his face when he heard me? He looked like he saw a ghost!" Faye nodded her head with even more confidence.

"To be fair, I'd be scared too if I hear a voice when I'm alone." Harley argued, "Let's not jump to conclusions here."

"His expression and his body movements said it all." Faye insisted, "He acted like a man who had something to hide."

"But he could've took anything…it might even be a leaf!" Harley said with uncertainty.

"We saw what the object looked like. It's definitely not a leaf." Faye waved her hand in dismissal. "Besides, the sky is almost dark. Why would Keitaro be in the forest at such an odd time?"

"Because he's a freak?"

"No, because he was looking for the idol. And he found it."

"It…it makes sense. It would explain why we can't find the idol today." Harley muttered to himself. As the realization dawned upon him, the Pokemon Coordinator began to frown. "Now, we have a problem. If Keitaro has the idol…"

"He has it! I'm one-hundred percent positive." Faye corrected.

"Okay, we know he has the idol." Harley sighed in exasperation. "What do we do?"

"The way I see it, there're two things we can do." Faye paused for a moment to collect her thoughts before she began her explanation. "The first method is simple. It's like how the old saying goes…keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer. We can coerce Keitaro into our alliance and have him on our side. That way, we know for sure the idol won't be played against us. And if we work on him long enough, we'll be able to manipulate the idol in our favour."

"I don't like that idea. We're depending on Keitaro too much. What…what's the second method?"

"We force him to play the idol. In other words, we vote his ass out."

- - -

**DAY 5**

Starting a fire was never an easy task on _Survivor_. Many attempts had been made in the past, and many failures had followed. The lack of success was understandable, since the castaways either lacked appropriate resources or lived in too harsh of an environment. Unfortunately, the Jiraiya tribe had no such excuses. Not only were they provided with a box of matches in their supplies, but the weather remained warm and sunny ever since they arrived in Konoha.

Yet, it was the fifth day, and Jiraiya still had no spark, no flame, and definitely no fire. To make the situation worse, they found out today they were out of matches.

It seemed obvious now – Jiraiya was doomed.

_**Asuka: **__I'm stuck here with a bunch of imbeciles! We might've won the last immunity challenge, but failure is inevitable for a tribe that can't start a fire. Even on the first day, I already sensed Jiraiya was full of losers. And I was right of course, I'm always right! If you hang around losers too much, you become a loser yourself. That is exactly what's happening to me, and I – Asuka Soryu Langley – am anything but a loser!_

She shook her fist angrily at the camera as if she was demonstrating a point.

_**Asuka: **__Jiraiya is a sinking ship and I'm so ready to get off. But until that time comes, I'll have to live here for a while. I might as well start an alliance, because we're destined to go to tribal council sooner or later. It's bad enough to live with these losers, but it'd be even worse if I got outlasted by them!_

While Asuka cursed her luck, Keitaro was doing something a little more productive. He was attempting to start a fire with his glasses. If there was any knowledge he retained during his high school science classes, he remembered the lenses in his glasses could reflect and intensify sun rays against dry tinder, thus lighting a fire over time. He wasn't sure if an inexperienced camper like him could make this work, but after four days of no success, any random idea seemed like a plausible one.

"You've been doing this forever! This is never going to work, puzzle boy!" Asuka spat. She sat beside the young bespectacled man, observing his lack of success with a smug smirk.

"Patience is everything, Asuka." Keitaro smiled weakly. As someone who failed his university entrance exams three times and still persevered, he was a master on the subject of patience. "And my name is Keitaro. I'd appreciate it if you would stop calling me puzzle boy."

"Shut up, puzzle boy." Asuka growled. "What makes you so sure the glasses thing will work anyway?"

"I saw it on TV once." Keitaro admitted.

"Oh right, you saw it on television, so it must be true." Asuka rolled her eyes. "No wonder you're so stupid!"

"You don't have to be so negative…" Keitaro mumbled in a dejected voice.

"You're not in the way of sunlight!" Asuka grabbed his hand and steered it to the left. "You're not even holding the glasses properly!"

"My hand! It hurts! It hurts!" Keitaro yelped. Despite his protests, Asuka still clutched onto his hand like she was gripping on a handlebar. As a result, Keitaro dropped his glasses on the ground.

Then suddenly, without any warning, she brought his hand towards her chest until it was pressing against her left breast. Keitaro, who was almost blind without his glasses, didn't realize what he was touching until several seconds passed and one curious squeeze later.

"What are you doing!?" Keitaro shrieked in horror. He instantly shook his hand off her breast and backed away from the redhead. "What the hell…"

"You enjoyed it, didn't you? Pervert." Asuka smirked.

"Y-y-you forced m-me…!" Keitaro stammered, spitting out his words with minimal success. His face was scarlet with embarrassment. "W…why did you do that for!?"

"I want _you _to be my ally." Asuka replied without any hesitation.

"Is that all!?" Keitaro's mouth gaped open in a mixture of shock and disbelief. "You could have just asked! You…you didn't have to…"

"Is that a yes?" Asuka interrupted.

"Well…" Keitaro paused. Now that he had some time to think over her question, he began to realize what impact an alliance with Asuka might have on his game. "I don't see the harm in it…"

"It's a yes. Score!" Asuka grinned.

_**Asuka: **__Mission accomplished. That's one down, and just a few more to go. I asked that dweeb to join my alliance because I know I can push him around. He's just like Shinji…they're both big wusses. There's no way he'll ever say no to me. Loyalty – it's the only thing I'm looking for in my allies, and Keitaro has it._

She grinned proudly at the camera, still rejoicing over the fact that she had a new alliance member.

_**Asuka: **__Damn, I'm so good sometimes. I love how my twisted little mind works._

"Just so you know, our alliance is strictly conditional. If…if you do anything crazy, don't expect me to rescue you…" Keitaro quickly added. He was trying to cover his bases in case he rushed into this decision too fast.

"Hey, you said yes! You can't worm your way out of the alliance!" Asuka snapped.

"I never said yes! I…didn't even agree to the deal!" Keitaro threw his arms up in frustration.

"Well, a kiss seals the deal!" Asuka scoffed.

Asuka leaned her head towards Keitaro, who used the little reaction time that he had to pull back and avoid her. However, she grabbed him by the shoulders with a strong grip and forced a sloppy kiss on his lips. It took a few seconds for Keitaro to gather the strength and push Asuka's body away from him. He immediately wiped his mouth on his sleeve, looking absolutely abhorred at what just happened. His face flushed even redder than before.

"I have a girlfriend!" Keitaro cried.

"So what? It's not like I'm romantically interested in you anyway." Asuka raised an eyebrow, not understanding his concern.

"Naru is going to kill me if she finds out." Keitaro muttered, burying his face in his hands.

"Be a man, you dweeb." Asuka rolled her eyes.

"How could you say that? You…you…" Keitaro suddenly stopped in the middle of his sentence. He closed his eyes and sniffed the air. "Hey. Do you smell something?"

"Yeah." Asuka nodded, also sniffing the air with curiosity. "It smells like…smoke."

Keitaro located his glasses on the ground and put them back on. He shifted his gaze downards, where a thin cloud of smoke was rising from the small clutter of tinder on the ground. If he looked very carefully, there seemed to be the slightest hint of an orangey-red flame hidden within. A confused Keitaro turned towards Asuka for an explanation, but all she did was offer him a wide and toothy grin, which was enough to confirm Keitaro's suspicions.

"Fire! We have fire!" Keitaro exclaimed with glee.

"Quick, do something! Don't let it go out, puzzle boy!" Asuka yelled.

Keitaro lied on the ground and began blowing, very gently, on the feeble flame. He was careful not to extinguish the flame in one big huff. Asuka was by his side, adding more dry materials to the tinder in frequent intervals, thus allowing the fire to grow in size. Through their efficient teamwork, they were able to maintain the flame until it grew to a legitimate and reasonable size. In front of them was an actual blazing campfire, and neither could believe their eyes.

If fire did represent life as the game motto indicated, then this was the first time the Jiraiya tribe had truly been alive.

_**Keitaro: **__What just happened? I'm still a little overwhelmed right now. It's like one big confusing whirlwind and I still have no idea what's going on. One minute, I'm being harassed by Asuka to join her alliance. Then, the next thing I know…there's a fire. I made a fire! Me, of all people! This is so crazy!_

He shook his head in disbelief and laughed.

_**Keitaro: **__I'm going to enjoy this moment, because I'm sure it'll fade away soon. This game moves too fast for my brief stint of glory to last long. But for now, I'm the hero. I'm the hero of the day, and I'll never forget this moment for the rest of my life._

"How did it happen?" Keitaro asked, totally astonished. He speculated that his glasses, which had dropped on the ground, must have somehow been positioned at the right angle, thus igniting an accidental flame. It seemed like a wild guess, but it was the only logical explanation he could think of.

"It might be an act of God." Asuka smirked. "May be I should start calling you _miracle _boy from now on."

Once the rest of the tribe was informed about the good news, they reacted with as much enthusiasm as they could muster out of their fatigued bodies. Guy and Harley paraded around the camp in singsongs and cheers, while Holland wasted no time doing the essentials – boiling water and cooking the much needed food. Soon, the entire tribe surrounded themselves around the newly constructed campfire, munching on warm rice and drinking boiled water. This was their first legitimate meal they ate since they arrived, and it tasted more delicious than anything they could imagine.

"I'm so happy I think I might cry." Bulma laughed as she chewed on a huge wad of rice. "Thank you, Keitaro! You're our saviour!"

"Hey! I helped out too!" Asuka folded her arms against her chest.

"I'll give credit where it's due. Thank you, Asuka." Bulma smiled.

"This…this…" Holland swallowed his mouthful before he continued his sentence, "This feels much better than the orgasms on my honeymoon night."

"Now I lost my appetite." Faye joked.

"I don't use that comparison carelessly. This is an excellent development for our tribe. We now have a shelter _and _a campfire." Holland said, his face almost beaming with joy. "I say we're doing pretty damn good out here on _Survivor_!"

"Hear, hear!" Guy laughed.

"Can I suggest a toast to our two heroes?" Kari smiled, raising her water canteen high in the air. "For without them, we might've died from starvation and thirst!"

"I'll drink to that!" Bulma grinned. "Go Keitaro! Go Asuka!"

"Keitaro, you really redeemed yourself this time, didn't you?" Faye smirked. "From zero to hero, that's quite a transition. Good job, kid."

"Yeah, that challenge loss is totally in the past!" Harley added.

Keitaro, who was not used to receiving so much praise in the past, could only respond by smiling modestly at his tribe members. He felt joyous inside, not just because of the fire or the round of compliments, but because of the newfound harmony he witnessed within the tribe. Nobody was arguing and nobody was plotting. They were just getting along like any decent tribe should. Keitaro enjoyed this rare moment of peace between his tribe members, for he speculated it would be very short-lived.

_**Kari: **__Good things happen to people who work hard. After hours…no, it must have been days…of failed attempts and relentless perseverance, we finally have a fire at our camp. And like the old motto goes, fire represents life in this game. I think having this flame could only signify good things for Jiraiya in the future. It might sound corny, but I believe in us._

- - -

Iruka welcomed the two tribes for their first reward challenge. The host stood in the centre of an elevated platform, shaped like a circular ring. By his feet were two gigantic padded bags, one in bright orange and the other in dark green. The Tsunade tribe eyed these bags curiously, speculating among themselves what the challenge would involve. Jiraiya, on the other hand, was more occupied with observing their competitors. Some of them had been wondering who got voted out at the first tribal council, and now they got their answer.

"Jiraiya, take your first look at the new Tsunade tribe…without Mina, voted out at the last tribal council." Iruka declared in a chipper voice. "Welcome to your first reward challenge, my fellow Survivors. It's time to get physical. For today's challenge, you'll face off in a one-on-one sumo challenge against each other. But instead of using your fists, you'll be exercising your strength with these sandbags."

A few players groaned. Iruka ignored the unenthusiastic responses as he continued his explanation.

"Each match will feature one player from each tribe, who will fight against each other on the platform. It's guys versus guys, and ladies versus ladies. The objective is to knock your competitor out of the ring with your sandbag. Every match won gives you one point. The first tribe to reach four points wins the reward. As an additional note, you may not make any physical contact on the other player's body during the match. Otherwise, you're disqualified and the other tribe takes the win."

Iruka tried stressing the importance of his last few sentences to the castaways. These boundaries and limitations were established to ensure nobody would be severely harmed during what was a very physical challenge.

"So, want to know what you're playing for?" Iruka smiled. He pulled out two tiny boxes from his vest. Like most things in the challenges, they were coordinated accordingly to the tribe colours: Jiraiya orange and Tsunade green. There was a small lock attached to each of the boxes, thus concealing whatever the items lie within. "The winning tribe will take back to camp this _mystery box_, which will play an important role in the game exactly five days from now. In addition, they'll also receive a pivotal clue to the whereabouts of the hidden immunity idol."

"Lovely." Meryl smiled.

"Jiraiya, since you have an extra member in your tribe, someone has to sit out in this challenge. Keep in mind whoever sits out _must _participate in the next challenge." Iruka said, "Also, to keep the matches even between the two tribes, the person you sit out must be a woman."

A brief discussion between Jiraiya followed, but the decision was rather easy to make. Kari, the youngest and arguably the weakest tribe member, volunteered to sit out. Afterwards, the two tribes were asked to predetermine an order in which they would compete, alternating the matches between men and women every turn.

"Let's begin the challenge." Iruka hopped off the platform and joined Kari on the side bench. "The first match will feature Keitaro from the Jiraiya tribe versus Shannon from the Tsunade tribe!"

Cheers came from the two tribes, but Keitaro didn't look confident as he stepped inside the ring. The skinny university student picked up the orange sandbag from the platform, but almost immediately dropped it due to its tremendous weight. He stumbled back a few steps before he found his footing and managed to hold up the sandbag with both hands, albeit his stance was shaky. In contrast, a perfectly calm Shannon lifted up his bag and placed it over his shoulder with utmost ease.

"Survivors ready?" Iruka asked, raising his arm in the air. "Go!"

Right off the bet, Shannon took an offensive approach and dashed towards Keitaro, who stood passively on the spot with no idea how to defend himself. He closed his eyes, embracing for the worst as the swift swordsman slammed his sandbag into Keitaro's body. The helpless university student was sent flying in the air for a few seconds before he made a painful landing in the mud, just a few inches outside the ring.

"The match goes to Shannon! Tsunade wins a point." Iruka declared.

The next round featured Faye and Mai Valentine against each other, a showdown so ideal and attractive that it prompted Kurz to holler with excitement. Both women shot annoyed glances at him, particularly Mai who thought he was being a distraction, but the playful pilot was still grinning from cheek to cheek.

"Ah…battle of the breasts." Kurz laughed, while a few other castaways snickered at his remark.

"Shut up, Weber." Shannon grumbled humourlessly.

"Damn kid. I swear one of these days I'm gonna kick his ass." Zolo added.

"My ass?" Kurz raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Sounds like _sexual _harassment to me, mister."

"Shh! Be quiet, you knuckleheads!" Meryl hushed the men's babble, which was drowning out Iruka's voice as he announced the start of the second match. "It's about to start!"

On the platform, Faye and Mai eyed each other with caution, neither willing to launch the first attack. At last, Faye ran forward with her sandbag, hoping to crash Mai out of the ring just like what Shannon had done earlier. Mai reacted quickly and dodged to the left, but Faye was already thinking one step ahead. The agile bounty huntress changed directions and tried slamming her bag into the blonde's shoulder. As a result, Mai was knocked back a few steps and her feet were getting dangerously close to falling off the platform. She tried to gain back ground, but all it took was another strong push from Faye and Mai's left foot was outside the ring.

"Match goes to Faye. The scores are now one-one." Iruka declared.

Holland and Roy were pitted against one another in the following match. Having watched the offensive strategy succeed the last two times, Holland decided to imitate this approach and charged towards the colonel like a bull. Roy smirked, expecting such a move in advance, thus he held a steady stance and defended himself with his own sandbag. His sandbag crashed into Holland's, and the two men squared off in a war of strength. The younger, more athletic Roy edged out and was able to push the skinny Jiraiya captain backwards. Holland cursed his aging body and tried running away, but Roy stopped him by literally throwing his sandbag at the captain's legs. Holland collapsed on the ground, leaving him in a vulnerable and open position. Even as he tried to get back up, he was not strong enough to counter Roy's next attack, which managed to push the fallen Holland out of the ring.

"Match goes to Roy. Tsunade now leads two-one."

The fourth round was a battle between Asuka and Orihime. The two redhead teenagers stormed towards each other, their bags clashing in the centre of the ring. Asuka gave one big shove and succeeded in sending her competitor a few steps back. However, she was unpleasantly surprised when Orihime, who possessed a black belt in karate, pushed back with equal might. The two girls continued attacking with these short, quick pushes, but neither was strong enough to hold a lead before the other person recovered. In what was the longest round yet, a test of strength turned into a test of endurance, as both their bodies were tiring out from fatigue. This was unfortunate for Orihime, whose health was still frail from her illness, so her strength dwindled much more quickly. At some point, Asuka was able to push Orihime back further and further, until the latter dropped out of the platform at last.

"Match goes to Asuka. Both tribes now have two points. Remember, it takes four points to win the challenge."

After a lengthy scuffle, the following two matches didn't last long. Kurz competed against Harley next, a match that was lopsided in strength to begin with. The Pokemon Coordinator put up a fight by running around in circles, trying his best to avoid contact with the blonde pilot. His luck eventually ran out when Kurz caught up to him, and was able to knock Harley out of the platform with one effortless push. However, Jiraiya was able to catch up in the next match, when Bulma caught Meryl off guard and shoved the petite insurance agent outside the ring. Thus, the two tribes were now evenly matched with three points each.

"This is the deciding match." Iruka announced as the last two competitors stepped onto the circular platform. "It's Zolo versus Guy. Whoever wins this round will win the reward for their tribe."

"You're going down, Jiraiya." Zolo glared.

"Likewise, Tsunade." Guy smiled, but there was some hint of edge and intensity in his voice. He narrowed his eyes at the swordsman. "Good luck."

"Keep the luck. I won't need it." Zolo smirked.

"Survivors ready?" Iruka raised his arm in the air. "Go!"

Zolo ran forward immediately, with his head down and his sandbag clutched closely to his chest. He held a posture that resembled a football player going in for a huge tackle. The burly pirate then slammed his sandbag into the Konoha ninja's chest, but Guy didn't even budge. Zolo tried again, this time pushing with more aggression and force. Again, Guy remained still on the spot. Then, in one swift motion, the Jonin delivered a powerful blow to Zolo's head with the sandbag, which was strong enough to push the pirate away but still stay inside the proximity of the ring.

Taking a different approach, Zolo maintained a swordsman's stance, holding the sandbag in a similar manner to how he usually carried a sword. He darted forward and swung his bag at the ninja, who dodged the attack with ease. Then, in a move that nobody saw coming, Guy kicked his right foot upwards, knocking the sandbag right out of the pirate's hands. He then leapt up and caught the green bag before Zolo could make a grab for it. As a result, Guy now held two bags in his possession, and Zolo had nothing but clenched fists.

"It's over." Guy said as a grin emerged on his face. "You don't even have a weapon. You're open to all my attacks."

"I'm just getting started." Zolo muttered, wiping some blood that came from a fresh cut on his lips. "Don't mess with me, bastard!"

"But it's over. Look at where your feet are."

Zolo's eyes gazed down and frowned. He saw that he was no longer standing on the platform. Some time during the heated shuffle, he must have taken his feet outside of the ring without even realizing what a critical mistake he had made.

"The match goes to Guy!" Iruka announced, just to cement the victory in place. "Jiraiya wins the reward!"

"Like I said, the challenge is over." Guy said with a hearty laugh.

"No, it's not over. It's far from over." Zolo muttered, glaring sternly at the muscular ninja. "Next time, I'll defeat you. Mark my words, Might Guy. I _will _defeat you."

Guy offered no reply, but the grin on his face grew even wider than before. He might have won a mystery box and a pivotal clue about the idol, but these materialistic possessions all paled in comparison. Guy had won something much more important – something, or rather _somebody_, that made his competitive juices run vivid and wild.

He just found himself a new rival.

- - -

Thanks to the efforts of Guy and the three ladies, Jiraiya brought back to camp two items from the challenge. The first was the mysterious orange box, which was sealed shut with a lock. Asuka suggested they smash the box open against a rock or some sort, even though the words 'DO NOT OPEN' were printed in big bolded letters on the cover. Some castaways tried shaking the box by their ears to speculate what it might contain, but the object inside made no noise. A few people even doubted if there was an actual object in the box, joking that it might be like a Pandora's Box in which those who disobeyed the rules would be punished.

Figuring out what was inside the mystery box entertained Jiraiya for a while, but most of them paid more attention to the scroll of parchment, which was the second item they received. The parchment contained a clue to the whereabouts of the hidden immunity idol, something that was on everybody's minds. They never discussed about this matter openly, but behind each other's backs they exchanged whispers and rumours and strategies about it that spread throughout the camp. In many ways, the idol was like a forbidden item, spoken of only in secrecy and only to trusted allies.

"The idol isn't on the ground" was all that the vague clue said, but it provided enough information to send the Jiraiya tribe in frenzy. When they returned to camp that afternoon, most tribe members made up excuses to be alone and then slithered their ways into the forest with their newfound knowledge about the idol. Only three people were not part of this search: Faye, Keitaro, and Asuka.

"Why aren't you looking for the idol like everyone else?" Faye asked. She and the bespectacled university student were walking around the empty campsite in no particular direction. Since almost nobody was present, they felt free to talk about the idol as loudly as they wanted.

"Somebody has to stay here and watch the fire. It might as well be me." Keitaro explained with a friendly smile. "We worked so hard to make this fire, so we can't let it go out no matter what."

"That's very considerate of you. Who knew decent men would actually exist beyond myths?" Faye muttered.

All of a sudden, she grabbed Keitaro by the shoulders and embraced him in a very intimate hug. The bounty huntress moved her hands swiftly across his body, making her way from his shoulders to the waists and then to the rear. She tapped his butt a few times, in firm stroking rhythm, and then slowly pulled herself away from his body. A speechless Keitaro cleared his throat a few times, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"I never got a chance to thank you personally." Faye winked.

"Um, Faye, I have a girlfriend." Keitaro mumbled, finding it very awkward that he disclosed this fact to two different women today. "I think we might be getting a little too close…"

"Don't worry, she'll understand. We sleep inside the same shelter, we're like roomies!" Faye chuckled airily.

_**Faye: **__I did a quick body search on Keitaro today to see if he has the idol. I discovered that he did have something in his pants…well, that was a poor choice of words, but the point stands. Keitaro has the idol. The clue today confirmed my suspicions. All those chumps read it and thought the idol was still in the forest. They're wrong – the idol is in Keitaro's pocket. And soon, it'll be in my hands._

The sly bounty huntress wasn't sure if the rules forbid players from stealing the idol from its rightful owner, but she thought it wouldn't hurt to try.

_**Faye: **__Now if only there's a way to get into Keitaro's pants…_

"Do you think Asuka is acting a little strange?" Faye suddenly asked.

"Why?" Keitaro's head turned in alarm. "Did she try to kiss you?"

"No...I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff." Faye raised an eyebrow.

"It-it's just a…a…miscommunication." Keitaro stammered, closing his mouth before he yapped about his secret alliance with Asuka. "Um, why do you think she's strange?"

"Well, for starters, she's going through our belongings right now." Faye pointed her index finger at the shelter, where Asuka currently sat inside. She was sifting through a handful of Holland's clothes and emptying the content from its pockets. So far, she had found nothing.

"What is she doing now?" Keitaro smacked his forehead in frustration.

"Is Asuka looking for the idol…in our clothes?" Faye asked.

Before Keitaro could reply back, a loud high-pitched scream interrupted their thoughts. That annoying shriek belonged to none other than Bulma, who emerged from the forest just in time to catch Asuka during her act. Even from a distance, Keitaro could see that angry expression on the inventor's face as she stomped towards the shelter. She was not pleased with what she saw.

"What do you think you're doing, young lady!?" Bulma yelled.

"Bug off." Asuka rolled her eyes in response, which made the inventor even more furious.

"_You _bug off! You're the one who's rummaging through _our_ things!" Bulma shrieked.

An excited Faye approached the two women in hopes of getting a better view of the spectacle. Keitaro followed her to the shelter. He could already sense what was about to happen would not end on pleasant terms.

"Don't touch my clothes!" Bulma stuck her nose in the air rather snootily. "I don't know where those hands have been, missy."

"You take that back!" Asuka yelled.

"How dare you, you petty little thief!" Bulma snapped back.

"I'm _not _a thief." Asuka said.

"Then what are you doing!?" Bulma shouted.

When Asuka couldn't provide an answer to a simple question, it only proved to Bulma that she was right. This led to more bickering between the two women. Very soon, the entire tribe heard the noisy commotion at the campsite and assembled themselves around the squabbling pair. Kari arrived last to the scene, but she was frustrated by how passive her tribe members were. Nobody, not even Holland the so-called leader of Jiraiya, stepped up to dissolve the argument. Everybody just watched them bicker as spectators, but nobody acted as a peacekeeper.

_**Keitaro: **__I think Bulma might have overreacted. I'm not saying what Asuka did is right, but I don't think it was necessary for her to make this such a public spectacle. She could've resolved this privately with Asuka when they're alone, but instead Bulma made a huge fuss over it. There's so much drama!_

He frowned glumly at the camera.

_**Keitaro: **__Whatever harmony and team unity Jiraiya experienced earlier had pretty much disappeared at this point…I shouldn't be surprised. I knew the peace wouldn't last long._

"What's going on?" Kari asked at last.

"She's invading my privacy!" Bulma shouted, wagging her finger at Asuka in a hostile manner. "I caught that girl go through my belongings with her dirty little hands."

"Bite me, you hag." Asuka growled.

"Devil girl!" Bulma hissed.

"I'm sure there's a misunderstanding somewhere," said Kari.

"How can there be a misunderstanding!? I caught Asuka red-handed. I saw her with my own two eyes." Bulma shouted. "She's a thief!"

"There's no need to call each other names. Let's try to resolve this like mature adults." Kari managed to maintain an air of calmness despite having the two women yell endlessly in her ears. "All we need is a simple apology from both of you."

"I have done nothing wrong." Bulma folded her arms across her chest.

"She's not getting a damn apology." Asuka added.

"Alright then…" Kari sighed. She had not planned to play the role of peacekeeper, but the situation demanded one and nobody else stepped up to the plate. "Why don't we take a time out? You two need to separate and have some time to think things through."

Bulma just shook her head and mumbled something under her breath. Eventually, she did leave on a rather grumpy and indignant note. The rest of the tribe followed suit, disbanding now that the argument was over. Asuka also began to depart, but stopped after taking a few steps. She turned around, wearing a defiant smirk on her face.

"Hikari!" Asuka exclaimed.

"Yes?" Kari asked uncertainly, not used to being addressed by this unusual name.

"I like you. You stood up for me when nobody else would." Asuka paused, nodding her head a few times in approval. "If you're ever in trouble, you just come to me. You know I have your back no matter what."

"Okay, thanks…I guess." Kari said with a weak smile.

"I'm dead serious, Hikari." Asuka said, "You and I together can take this tribe and turn it upside down."

Kari watched Asuka turn around and leave, having made her point. It was clear what she was trying to imply, yet the petite DigiDestined didn't know if it was wise to align with such an intense and extreme character. Nonetheless, Kari was just thankful that she was on the redhead's _good_ side. After all, Asuka could either be a very powerful friend…

Or as Bulma will soon discover, Asuka could also be a very deadly enemy.

- - -

Camp life was a lot more peaceful in the Tsunade tribe, but Meryl suspected that it might just be calm before the storm. Sooner or later, an ugly argument would erupt among the strong personalities within the tribe. Meryl knew that as long as she was on the chopping block, there would not be a day of peace in this tribe. She would even _argue _her way to stay in the game, however ineffective and ridiculous the method might seem. But for now, she opted for a more productive survival method: finding the hidden immunity idol.

Today, she was on another search for the idol. This time, she did it with the company of Orihime, under the excuse that she was accompanying her to the water hole. Meryl knew she should never let other players figure out her true intentions, for part of what made the idol so special was its _secrecy_. Of course, she thought everyone else did the same. They searched the idol during their own time, with nobody else knowing.

"You don't really want to go to the water hole, do you Meryl?" Orihime asked with a faint smile. "I can tell because your eyes are looking at everywhere in the forest. You're trying to find the immunity idol, aren't you?"

"Uh…well, yeah…I'm sorry. That's what I'm doing." Meryl sighed as she gave her confession. She had forgotten how observant Orihime could be sometimes.

"It's okay, I'll help you look." Orihime said.

Meryl smiled in response. She wasn't sure if the redhead was trying to humour her or not. She was just glad that Orihime had not _ratted_ her out to the other tribe members yet.

"Are you in danger of being voted out, Meryl?" Orihime asked, gazing upwards absentmindedly at one of the trees.

"I know I am." Meryl replied at once. "The guys aren't going to vote you out. Shannon has a soft spot for you. He'll protect you for the next vote at least. But I don't have anyone. I only have myself."

"You have me." Orihime said.

_What damn good will that do? We're going to be the next two voted out!_ Meryl thought to herself, but smiled at what was essentially a comforting remark from the redhead.

"Meryl?" Orihime asked again.

"What now?" Meryl turned around, growing a little impatient. She was trying to look for the idol but found Orihime to be a huge distraction.

"I found it."

"WHAT!?"

"Shh! It's supposed to be a secret, remember?" Orihime whispered, pointing her finger upwards at a tree. "Look, it's up there. It's hanging from that tree like a Christmas ornament."

Meryl's gaze followed that direction until she finally saw a golden shiny object dangling from the tree branch. Her mouth gaped open in surprise at first, but it eventually evolved into a joyous grin. Meryl realized that the item resembled a small amulet, and as far as she was concerned, those things don't grow on ordinary trees. Thus, there was only one explanation for its presence in the forest.

It was the hidden immunity idol.

And she found it.

_**Meryl: **__I was just on a harmless trip to the water hole with Orihime, but I never thought we'd locate the hidden immunity idol. Wow. It's such an amazing feeling. Simply wow._

She beamed happily at the camera. The petite insurance agent clapped her hands a few times and let out an uncharacteristic girlish giggle.

_**Meryl: **__I'm saved!_

Neither woman was tall enough to reach the item from the ground, but it did not take long before Meryl climbed the coniferous tree and retrieved the hidden immunity idol. For a moment, she thought of running away with the idol to herself, but it would be due to a foolish and selfish impulse. When Meryl was back on the ground with the amulet, Orihime noticed the woman's sudden wariness towards her. And that was when she knew she had to do the right thing.

"Take it. It's yours." Orihime said, patting the petite insurance agent on the shoulder.

"But you found it first. You're the idol's rightful owner." Meryl mumbled.

"_You_ are the one who actually got that idol." Orihime shook her head. "I wouldn't have been able to climb that tree by myself."

"Are you sure? I…I don't really deserve this." Meryl's gaze was averted elsewhere.

"I'm positive, Meryl. I don't want it. You need this more than me. You said so yourself," said Orihime.

"You don't have to be so selfless. I know this idol isn't mine." Meryl said with a weak smile. It pained her to admit this, but she was a rather moralistic person at heart, and she knew this idol wasn't hers for keeps. "I'll feel guilty if I have this idol in my pocket. Take it, Orihime. Take back what's yours."

"You can keep the idol to yourself. I won't even tell a soul about it." Orihime shook her head again, seemingly insistent on her stance in this subject matter. "I just want you to promise me one thing."

"What?" Meryl asked with uncertainty.

"I want you to promise to never vote for me in tribal council ever again," said Orihime.

"Of course! Of course I'll promise you that, silly!" Meryl broke into a huge grin. She approached the redhead and embraced her in a warm hug. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome." Orihime grinned back.

"I swear on my life that I'll never vote against you in this game. I'd be a dirty traitor if I did." Meryl raised her right hand in the air as if she was speaking an oath. "I'll never forget this act of kindness, Orihime."

"Does this mean we're in an alliance now, _senpai_?" Orihime asked.

"Of course we are!" Meryl laughed. She waved the shiny amulet in front of Orihime's face. "And this idol will be our little secret."

"It's so beautiful…" Orihime murmured, leaning forward to examine the amulet. It had the letters "H.I." engraved on the cover.

"_Survivor_ is a beautiful game. It truly is." Meryl smiled.

_**Orihime: **__Some people might ask why I gave up the idol to Meryl. It doesn't seem like a very smart thing to do, but I think it'll benefit me in the future. What's more important is that I gained a new friend…and a new ally today. _

She smiled reassuringly at the camera. She almost seemed confident that she made the right decision today.

_**Orihime: **__The idol alone won't keep me in the game. What I need are allies who I can trust completely with my heart._

The redhead teenager was too polite to admit this to the camera, but she realized the full impact of her actions today. She might not have the idol in her pocket, but she gained the trust of Meryl forever. And that, in a sense, carried so much more value than a little amulet.

First it was Shannon, and now Meryl. It would seem as if Orihime Inoue was on her way to becoming the most popular player in the Tsunade tribe.

- - -

**DAY 6**

Bulma was definitely not a morning person. With proper and adequate rest, she could be a very talkative, sociable, and sometimes even friendly woman. But without her beauty sleep, she disintegrated into an intimidating, unsociable, and grumpy old hag. Her tribe members experienced the severe transformation this morning when Guy woke everyone up with a piece of treemail, informing the Jiraiya tribe there was an immunity challenge _immediately_. Bulma was not pleased, and it showed on the angry scowl she wore for the rest of the morning.

"Welcome to your second immunity challenge. I know it's a little earlier than usual, but…" Iruka wasn't able to finish his sentence, for Bulma shot him such an intense glare that it forced the host to change the subject. "Anyway, I need that immunity idol back."

"It'll be ours in no time." Asuka boasted as she handed the host the wooden sculpture.

"Immunity is back up for grabs." Iruka declared, "For today's challenge, I hope you've got an empty stomach, because you'll be eating some famous Konoha delicacies!"

"Ramen?" Guy asked.

"No, of course not!" Iruka laughed. "I'm talking about the delicacies of this forest. Yep, that's right…it's a gross food challenge. Each tribe must send a representative to eat a certain dish. You win a point if you finish everything on the plate, but you get nothing if you can't complete your meal or you vomit during the process. Whichever tribe has the most points at the end wins immunity."

Iruka opened the refrigerator beside him and pulled out a small paper plate, containing two unmoving spiders. One was lying on its back, with all eight of its tiny legs pointing at the sky.

"We'll start with something small. A sample, if you will," said Iruka. He placed the plate on a nearby table. "Come on up, send someone to eat these delicious spiders! Don't worry, everybody gets a turn. Tsunade, since you're short one member, someone will have to eat twice."

The courageous Guy was chosen to eat first as the guinea pig. Mai also volunteered just for the sake of 'getting it over with'. The two players gathered around Iruka's table and picked up a spider from the plate. Guy dropped the creature inside his mouth and swallowed it immediately. He then displayed his mouth wide open, verifying to Iruka that he finished everything. Mai followed suit, almost to the same degree of calmness and courage.

"No problems for Guy and Mai!" Iruka grinned, bringing out the second plate from the fridge. Meanwhile, Asuka and Roy stepped up as the next batch of competitors. "But it's only going to get harder from now on."

Asuka wrinkled her nose when she saw two skinned rats on the paper plates. Their bodies looked like brownish blobs of meat, but she could tell they were rats because their tails were still attached. Iruka confirmed that they were cooked thoroughly, but Asuka still found them very unappetizing.

"You don't need to eat the tail," said Iruka.

"Oh gee, thanks. That makes it so much _easier_." Asuka rolled her eyes.

Roy took small nibbles of the rat bit by bit, made a few faces along the way, but eventually swallowed it whole. Asuka had more difficulty, almost vomiting in her mouth after the first bite. She clasped her hands over her mouth, preventing herself from throwing up. She slowly continued eating while grumbling under her breath. After a long struggle, she finished her last bite and spat out the rat's remaining tail on the plate.

Shannon and Harley faced off in the third round, while Iruka presented them with twelve squirming worms on two separate plates. Shannon finished his dozen in no time, brushing them down his throat like he was drinking water. Meanwhile, Harley turned ghastly pale when he picked up the first worm, which wriggled in between his slender fingers. He put the worm inside his open mouth, but pulled it out almost instantly.

"This is so nasty!" Harley shrieked, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "I can't eat this! I'm sorry, but I can't!"

"It's for immunity! Try harder!" Holland shouted.

Harley shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, and did whatever he could to apologize to his tribe. The Pokemon Coordinator was certain that he could not eat the squirming worms. He sadly returned to his tribe members, knowing that he had let them down with his pathetic performance. Harley could only wish someone from the other tribe would buckle under the pressure as well.

"Tsunade now leads by one point." Iruka announced. He then replaced the third dish with a fourth, which was covered up with a bamboo lid. "This next one is a mystery dish. I won't unveil it until both representatives arrive at the table."

Both Bulma and Orihime looked apprehensive when they walked up, anticipating the worst. Iruka removed the bamboo lid and revealed two delicious slices of chocolate forest cake on the plate. There were no dead insects, animals, or anything of that sort. It was just a legitimate piece of cake, which made Bulma break into a huge toothy grin.

"This isn't forest food!" Bulma said jokingly. The sight of a chocolate cake was enough to cheer her up from whatever bad mood she had due to a lack of sleep. "But I'll take it!"

"Sorry I lied, but I thought you deserved a little break. You didn't get a luxurious reward after all," said Bulma.

"Why didn't _I _get a chocolate cake during my turn?" Mai protested.

"Some people are just luckier than others." Iruka shrugged his shoulders.

Eating the chocolate cakes with their hands was a little messy, but Bulma and Orihime consumed the cakes with ease. Thus, both Jiraiya and Tsunade earned an easy point.

"The next dish is actually a drink." Iruka said, pulling out two tall glass cups from the fridge. Before he even explained, some players already deduced what the drink was by its nasty yellowish colour. "Deer urine."

"That's disgusting!" Kari made a face.

"Thank you." Iruka grinned.

Trying to ignore what she was drinking, she poured the urine into his mouth at a rapid pace. She didn't mind the bland taste all that much, but it was the horrid stench that made her feel somewhat queasy. However, she managed to gulp down her entire drink, as did her competitor Kurz.

"Tsunade is still in the lead." Iruka brought out the sixth plate to the table. "The next delicacy is quite special. These are beetle larva found in the trunks of dead trees in this forest."

"_Yummy_." Keitaro joked.

Neither Meryl nor Keitaro knew what to make of the beetle larva, but they tried their best to devour the gruesome item anyway. Meryl closed her eyes and threw the entire larva inside. She chewed it for a few seconds, but choked due to the amount of juice that poured out. Around the same time, her gag reflex kicked in and she felt a strong wave of nausea arising within her. She tried to suppress it, but she ended up vomiting in her plate anyway. Keitaro flashed a sympathetic glance at her, but continued eating without being affected much.

"No points for Tsunade," said Iruka. He glanced over at the other competitor, Keitaro, who was faring surprisingly well with the beetle larva. "Keitaro is still eating."

"I'm done." Keitaro swallowed and then opened his mouth for verification.

"Jiraiya and Tsunade are tied once more!" Iruka nodded his head in approval, while Meryl frowned and mumbled an apology to her tribe.

The seventh dish contained two dead grasshoppers, which Faye and Zolo devoured with ease. Faye ate hers quickly, and Zolo was even quicker. This round was over in less than twenty seconds, with both tribes gaining one more point.

"Since we're tied going into our final round, the winner will be determined by whoever finishes the next dish _first_. Tsunade, somebody in your tribe will have to go twice." Iruka explained.

"I'll go again." Zolo said.

"No, please let me try." Orihime raised her arm to speak. "I got a cake during my turn, so I didn't get to eat any gross food."

"Are you sure?" Zolo raised an eyebrow.

"I won't let you guys down." Orihime smiled.

"Alright, so it's going to be Orihime versus Holland. This should be interesting." Iruka said. He served the eighth and final plate on the table. It contained only two berries, and Orihime recognized them as the _Minaberries _right away. She knew too well about the effects of these fruits, and the consequences that followed on the first day. "The last food item is a poisonous berry commonly found in the Konoha forests. They can cause massive stomach aches for at least days to come."

Iruka smiled at the two competitors.

"Whoever eats this berry first will win immunity for his or her tribe. At what cost will you pay to win? Let's find out…" The host raised his arm in the air as a signal. "Survivors ready? Go!"

Holland picked up the berry, but looked hesitant as he dangled it in front of his lips. Like Orihime, he learned about the poisonous berry on the first day. He didn't get to experience what the so-called Minaberries will do to his body, and he had no desire to discover it now. Yet, immunity was on the line and Holland was stuck in a dilemma that he could not solve.

He glanced over at Orihime, who shoved the berry in her mouth without any hesitation. In a matter of seconds, the berry was swallowed down her throat, and all that she held was a leftover stem in her right hand.

Orihime ate the poisonous berry.

Again.

"Tsunade wins immunity!" Iruka exclaimed, but his voice was drowned out by the celebratory cries from the victorious tribe. A couple of people grabbed the idol and passed it around, experiencing the touch of victory for the first time. After six days of absolute misery, Tsunade finally pulled through and _won _a challenge.

Orihime smiled weakly as she watched her tribe laugh and celebrate in front of her. Some of them even patted her on the back for her courageous sacrifice. And what a sacrifice it was! Clearly she had not recovered from her previous illness, but she went ahead anyway and ate the berry without thinking twice. Most players didn't seem to grasp the full picture yet, for they were too blinded by their win to comprehend what Orihime had done.

Shannon was the only one who realized what tremendous selflessness she had demonstrated yet again. Only he realized how she sacrificed herself for the tribe, putting their best interests ahead of her own. Only he realized that while Tsunade prospers in triumph, Orihime will suffer for many days to come.

"Thank you, Orihime." Shannon leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "Thank…thank you for everything. You've sacrificed too much for this tribe."

"If it means Tsunade can stay intact, I'll do it again in a heartbeat." Orihime laughed.

And it was at that moment Shannon promised himself to protect Orihime from all harms her way.

- - -

It was still early morning when Jiraiya returned to their campsite, so Holland had plenty of time to reflect his loss at the immunity challenge. He lost his cool during the final round, just because he could not bare the thought of poisoning himself with those dreadful berries. Anything else and Holland would have been fine. His tribe members were obviously disappointed, but they respected him too much as their leader to say anything about it. Of course, as a former athlete, Holland was his own biggest critic when it came to losing under his pressure. Now he knew how Keitaro felt during the first immunity challenge, except this time Jiraiya was not lucky enough.

"I'm sorry I didn't step up to the plate today. I had the opportunity to win immunity and I let it slip through my fingers." Holland announced to his entire tribe when they returned to camp. He wore a solemn expression on his weathered face. "I take all responsibility for our loss."

"_Who_ cares? We all screw up sometimes." Bulma was the first to dismiss the leader's remark with a casual laugh. "It was a stupid challenge anyway. Forget about it!"

"Yeah, it's not that big of a deal," added Kari.

"You tried your best today, and that's what counts the most." Guy pounded his right fist against his chest a few times. "We all have our fair shares of victories and losses in life. It's time to move on, team!"

"Thanks for understanding." Holland offered a thin smile to his tribe members.

_**Keitaro: **__When Holland lost the challenge today, everybody kind of just shrugged it off. I was a little surprised because if it was me in the same position, my tribe members would have hunted me down with pitchforks by now. There's no way they'd be this calm and casual about the loss. May be it's because Holland is viewed as the leader of Jiraiya, and everybody is intimidated by his power. He makes the decisions around here, so nobody wants to be on his bad side when Holland decides who goes home tonight._

Without an obvious scapegoat, Jiraiya was scrambling to find somebody else to vote out at the upcoming tribal council. Some people were in more danger than others. Harley, who also messed up in today's challenge, was feeling particularly vulnerable. It was why he worked extra hard to ensure the target would be anybody else but _him_.

"Wait a second…so you want to join my alliance?" Asuka asked, sounding a little baffled. There were a few people whom she wanted in her alliance, but the effeminate and eccentric Pokemon Coordinator was not one of them. Nonetheless, Asuka was curious to hear the rest of Harley's offer.

"Yep, it's exactly what it sounds like!" Harley nodded his head enthusiastically. "I noticed you and Keitaro are close, and I don't mind being the third wheel in your plans."

"What's your motive?" Asuka narrowed her eyes with suspicion.

"I don't have a motive! I'm just an innocent little thing trying to make sure he doesn't get voted off, that's all!" Harley laughed.

"Fair enough." Asuka turned towards Keitaro, who was standing quietly beside her. "What do you think, puzzle boy?"

"I say…the more the merrier. Welcome aboard!" Keitaro grinned.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Asuka asked, ignoring the fact that Harley was right in front of her. "He doesn't seem like a trustworthy kind of guy."

"We need to start recruiting people in our alliance." Keitaro said, "And we don't have much time left."

"Don't you worry about me, sweetheart! _Trustworthy _is my middle name!" Harley laughed.

"Fine, you're in. But let me warn you…don't cross me. You'll regret it if you do." Asuka shot an intense glare at the Pokemon Coordinator, who just brushed it off with another airy laugh. "So, who do you have in mind? Does Bulma sound like a good target?"

"I think it's a sensational idea," said Harley.

"Aren't you friends with Bulma? Why are you so quick to backstab her?" Asuka asked instantly. Once again, she was interrogating the Pokemon Coordinator with blunt, unavoidable questions to test his loyalty. Harley gulped, realizing that the fiery redhead was a lot smarter than he imagined.

"Trust me, we're not that close." Harley shook his head. "I didn't make any deals with her, so technically I'm not backstabbing her in any way."

"So, you're willing to vote for Bulma with us?" Asuka asked.

"Yes! Do I have to do a ritual dance to persuade you?" Harley chuckled.

"Please, spare me the image." Asuka muttered, putting her hand in front of Harley's face. He squirmed a little, but still retained a false friendly smile. "Just vote Bulma or _else_."

_**Asuka: **__I'm building my army to take Bulma down at the next vote. Personally, I think she's an annoying hag from hell. She hasn't contributed to the tribe so far, and she won't do anything significant in the future either. It's not like she needs the money anyway, so she has no reason to play this game. Bulma doesn't deserve to be here…and anybody who thinks otherwise is dead wrong._

It took a long time for Harley to persuade Asuka that he was a loyal ally, but at last she accepted him into her little alliance of three. He might not be a rocket scientist, but he sensed a numbers disadvantage when he saw one. Asuka's alliance didn't have the majority and was thus useless in his opinion. Harley knew he had to be in one more alliance, if not more, to guarantee his safety for the upcoming vote. So, he excused himself from his new alliance members and went on to mingle with another ally, Faye.

"Did you find out who Keitaro is voting for?" Faye asked.

"He's voting Bulma tonight. Don't worry, we're totally safe." Harley whispered.

"Good, then we have our bases covered." Faye felt a confident grin creep across her face. "Now, we'll have to talk to Holland. He's the guy with the most power around here."

"He's our captain." Harley said, also grinning.

"I think he might already have some allies. Guy sticks to him like glue, so it's more than obvious they have a thing together." Faye said, "And I'm not sure about this, but Kari might be cozying her way into that alliance as well. She's quiet, but she's playing the game hard."

"That sneaky little bitch!" Harley snapped.

"It doesn't matter as long as we vote in the majority." Faye continued, "These alliances are built on less than six days of relationship. They won't last long if we manipulate things around here."

"Ooh, now I see that you're the _real _sneaky little bitch around here!" Harley feigned a surprised expression, prompting Faye to playfully slap him in the shoulder.

"Look who's talking." Faye smirked.

"You're so lovely, Miss Valentine. I want to put you in my pocket and just carry you around!" Harley laughed.

_**Harley:**__ I'm definitely not loyal to Asuka or Keitaro, although it doesn't hurt to be on their good sides. If Keitaro does have that hidden immunity idol, then I'm going to make sure he won't vote for me under any circumstances. But let's face it, he'd be powerless without that idol. No, I need to align with somebody stronger…somebody with more of a backbone. And Faye Valentine is the perfect solution to all my problems._

He grinned toothily at the camera.

_**Harley: **__I don't want to sound overconfident, but these people don't stand a chance with us around. Two brilliant minds collide together can cause much, much damage._

- - -

Bulma knew she was in danger of getting voted out tonight, although she didn't fully realize how close she was to going home. For an older woman, she surprisingly proved her worth in the challenges, acing the physical and mental aspects with ease even when others failed to do the same. That fact alone should be enough reason for Jiraiya to keep her around a little longer, yet Bulma was nervous that nobody approached her for an alliance so far. She felt she was in the outs of the tribe, and she intended to do something to change her position.

If there was a tribe member powerful enough to secure or seal another player's fate, Holland was the man. Everybody in Jiraiya thought he made the decisions for the tribe, and whether it was true or not, Bulma only hoped he liked her enough to decide she could stay in the game. She was too proud to beg him for a favour, but she was reasonable enough to bargain with the Jiraiya leader, even if the deal would be temporary.

"Who are you voting out tonight?" Bulma asked, but before Holland could reply her question, she interrupted him with another sentence. "And don't you dare say my name."

"I haven't made up my mind." Holland said coolly.

"Don't lie to me, Holland. I don't like liars." Bulma glared.

"I don't give a shit if you like me or not." Holland shrugged his shoulders. "But if you want an answer, I'm probably going to vote for Asuka."

"That's what I want to hear! Good choice, I'm voting for that pesky little girl too." Bulma grinned.

"I might change my mind," said Holland.

"Holland, I'm voting for whoever you're voting for. Just tell me and I'll do it." Bulma was beginning to sound desperate, but she didn't care about keeping her dignity or her pride anymore. She just wanted three more days in the game. "In fact, I'll vote for anyone as long as it's not me."

"Good for you." Holland muttered dryly.

"Seriously, if you change your mind at tribal council, just give me a signal." Bulma continued, "Just…just uh, hold up the number of fingers based on the alphabetical order of the names. One finger for Asuka, three fingers for Faye, five fingers for Harley, seven fingers for Kari…and so on. You get the idea. Show me your hand and I'll know who to vote for."

Holland looked amused at her bizarre suggestion, but nodded his head anyway. He then held up one finger and wiggled it in front of her face.

"So far, the plan hasn't changed yet." Holland said.

"Good. I don't care how many fingers you hold up, just as long as it's not two." Bulma grinned.

_**Bulma: **__Selling a strategy is like selling a product. You need to have a special niche in order to attract people. In Survivor, you need to advertise yourself and make other players want to have you in their alliance. You don't have to be a well-rounded member. You just have to make yourself an appealing ally._

Not only was Bulma a capable inventor, but she was also a very successful businesswomen. As the top executive manager of the Capsule Corporation and its many franchises, it was no surprise that she knew successful marketing tips, some of which could be applied to this game.

_**Bulma: **__My strategy in Survivor is…I'll vote out anyone as long as it's not me. If anybody asks, that's what I'm going to tell them. They know where I stand. And they know they can use me as a vote. That's going to be my selling point. If they're smart, they'll want to include me in their alliance._

Holland was a busy man today. Not long after Bulma had left him alone, he was soon approached by Faye and Harley with the same intention of swaying his vote. They wasted no time cutting to the chase, for they knew Holland was a rather blunt person who didn't like sugar-coated words. The pair decided that Faye, the more aggressive of the two, would do most of the talking, but Harley would support her as a backup in case of any problems.

"Let me guess…you want to ask me who I'm voting for tonight." Holland sighed, beginning to feel a little exhausted from the constant strategizing. "It's Asuka. Now leave me alone."

"I want to see a different person leave." Faye said.

Holland didn't reply back, but stared at the bounty huntress in anticipation of her answer.

"Keitaro has the idol and I'd like to vote him out." Faye continued, "I already found out that he's voting for Bulma tonight, so she'll end up leaving instead. But the goal is to force Keitaro to play the idol early on and then he won't be a threat in the future."

"What makes you so sure he has the idol? Did he tell you?" Holland asked.

"I saw it. It's like a little amulet. I know he keeps it in his pants." Faye said.

"You searched through his pants?" Holland smirked.

"You don't want to know where those hands have been, sweetheart." Harley grinned.

"Anyway, it's a brilliant plan if you're on board. Well, are you?" Faye asked.

"What happens if Keitaro doesn't have the idol?" Holland managed to avoid replying by asking another question of his own.

"Then he'll get voted out instead of Bulma. Big deal. He can't even solve a puzzle last time. Our tribe can afford to lose him," said Faye with a shrug of shoulder. "It's a win-win situation the way I see it."

"You're going to end up looking really bad if you vote out the guy who started a fire for Jiraiya." Holland said.

"Stop avoiding the question, damn it! Answer me! Are you in or not?" Faye snapped.

"I haven't made up my mind." Holland replied nonchalantly. "It does some like a promising plan though."

"Yeah, whatever." Faye sighed. "Just let me know before tribal council, alright? And remember, good leaders don't waffle back and forth. I know you're a smart guy, Holland. Don't let me down."

_**Faye: **__It sucks not having the power in my hands. I don't like depending on other people, but sometimes I've to take that risk. Whether I can trust Holland's instinct is still up in the air, but I believe he'll make a beneficial decision for all of us._

As Faye had suspected earlier, Holland did indeed form an alliance with Guy and Kari. None of them actually mentioned such a term, but there was an unspoken agreement that the trio would work together and watch out for each other. The bond between them wasn't too surprising, since they were the three hardest working members in Jiraiya. Holland led the tribe, Guy dominated the challenges, and Kari finished all the camp chores like a trooper. Keitaro, who was another hard worker, would have been included in this pact had he not so foolishly associated himself with Asuka. And it might turn out to be his biggest mistake, for they were discussing about voting him out tonight.

"Faye and Harley say that Keitaro has the hidden immunity idol. They want him gone." Holland said.

"I don't trust slackers." Guy scoffed.

"Me neither." Kari added.

"But when I think about it, it's not that bad of an idea." Holland rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If it's true, then we'll lose Bulma, who's not important to the tribe anyway. And if it's false, we'll lose Keitaro. He's not important either."

"He started a fire for us." Kari reminded him.

"But he might have the idol." Holland argued.

"I'd rather see someone who's a little _lazier _leave the game. Keitaro worked really hard to redeem himself and I think he needs a break." Kari sighed softly. "Don't you agree, Guy?"

"Kari has a very good point." Guy nodded his head. "But I don't care what decision you make, Holland. Just know that I'm on your side."

"Me too. You're our captain. _You_ make the final decision." Kari added.

_**Holland: **__I'm not normally an indecisive person, but I've a lot to think about tonight. The entire tribe's fate rests in my hands. Should we vote out Keitaro, who might have the idol but made valuable contributions to the tribe? And if he has the idol, can we afford to lose Bulma, who might be argumentative but have performed very well in the challenges? Or perhaps we should just vote out Asuka, someone whom nobody really likes?_

He paused, clasping his hands together and resting his chin on them.

_**Holland: **__With great leadership comes a great responsibility. I'm the proclaimed captain of Jiraiya, and I must make the decision based on what's best for my tribe._

- - -

Throughout tribal council, Bulma kept turning around to study Holland's reaction to various questions that Iruka asked. Looking back, she should have sat beside him so communication would be easier. Instead, she was forced to worry the entire night, wondering when Holland would give her the _signal_. The thought of Holland not telling her anything crossed her mind many times, which was why she felt so anxious every time she turned to look at Holland. His expressionless face revealed nothing about his emotions, his strategy, or his plans. Until the time came, Bulma was essentially a sitting duck at his mercy.

She tried to distract herself by paying close attention to the host's questions, but her mind always wandered back to Holland. It wasn't until Iruka directed a question towards her that Bulma finally woke up from her worrisome thoughts.

"Bulma…" Iruka said, "Asuka said earlier that she didn't get along with you at all. Would you like to elaborate this relationship?"

"Let's make one thing clear. Asuka and I have no relationship whatsoever." Bulma forced a nervous laugh. "I've always saw her as a self-centered girl who thinks she's right all the time. In short, she has a lot of growing up to do."

"Excuse me? You're like almost seventy, and you were yelling at me like some three-year-old yesterday!" Asuka raised her voice in an intimidating manner. "You're so damn immature!"

"I'm notseventy years old, you foolish little girl. I'm still young and loving life. In fact, I believe I've performed extremely well in challenges for someone my age." Bulma rolled her eyes.

"_What_-ever!" Asuka also rolled her eyes.

"Harley, let's turn to you for a minute. Over the past six days, you must've formed some relationships with a few people. Who are you getting along with the most?" Iruka asked.

"Oh Iruka, what a silly question! I get along with everyone. Every single person here is my friend." Harley replied with a big toothy smile on his face.

"Is there anyone you don't like in particular?" Iruka prodded.

"Of course not! I told you that I get along with everyone!" Harley laughed, waving his hand in dismissal.

"Guy, how about you? Is there anyone bugging you in your tribe?" Iruka asked.

"Some people aren't pulling their weight around camp, and that really bugs me." Guy shook his head and sighed. "Surely, the springtime of youth must have better work ethics than what I've witnessed in Jiraiya!"

"So, everyone in your tribe is lazy?" Iruka asked.

"No, there're a few hard workers around camp. Holland is one of them. Kari and Keitaro do a lot of chores too." Guy smiled.

"Wait, are you saying that the rest of us are lazy?" Faye raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't say anything. You said it yourself." Guy smirked.

"That's such bullshit. I…no, _we _all do a lot of work around camp." Faye said, "But you set such high expectations for everyone that it's impossible to meet your standards. We're not all made of muscles like you, you know."

"I'm not good with words, so I don't want to argue with you." Guy began shaking his head again. "But it's very clear that some people work harder than others. You know it, I know it, and the Konoha spirit knows it too."

Faye made a sound of disbelief. She was not satisfied with the accusation, but she didn't want to cast even more negative light onto herself, especially during tribal council. So, she decided to keep quiet, for now anyway.

"Let's focus on the more positive aspects of camp life. Keitaro, a little bird told me that you started a fire yesterday." Iruka said, "Is that true?"

"It's more of a…fluke, to be honest. But it's a fire nonetheless." Keitaro flashed a modest smile at the host.

"We also ran out of matches, so what Keitaro did really help us out a lot." Kari added.

"Wow, you used up a full box of matches! Well, I certainly hope you keep that fire lasting, or you're going to have a very difficult time out here." Iruka said with surprise.

"There'll be a fire in Jiraiya as long as Keitaro is around." Asuka said confidently.

"We'll see." Iruka remained unfazed. "Okay, enough chit-chat. It's time for the vote. Bulma, you're up first."

Bulma stood up and turned around for one last time. It was then she saw Holland subtly raise two hands from his lap, holding up a certain number of fingers. She smiled and nodded her head several times, indicating that she understood the message. Holland lowered his hands onto his knees again, and luckily, nobody caught the furtive interaction between them.

_Eight fingers…_Bulma thought to herself.

With confidence, she turned around and headed towards the rope bridge. She now knew who she was going to vote out tonight.

- - -

When Iruka returned to the players with a full voting urn, he sensed a much different atmosphere from the first tribal council. Almost everybody in Jiraiya knew who received the most votes, or at least they thought they knew anyway. Only Keitaro seemed nervous as Iruka pulled out the first vote from the urn, as he should be since his name was tossed around many times before tribal council even began.

"Bulma." Iruka said, unfolding the first parchment.

Her body stirred in slight alarm, but Bulma nodded her head once in acceptance. She knew this vote, quite predictably, came from an angry Asuka. The two women had still not made amends since their explosive quarrel on the other day.

"Bulma." Iruka read the five-lettered name again on the second parchment.

She angrily clenched her right hand into a fist. Instead of feeling nervous about the vote, Bulma felt a new emotion arise within her. Her apprehensiveness was replaced by sheer fury. If she was going to get voted out, it would not be a restful night.

Iruka paused for a long time before he pulled out the third parchment, unfolded it, and revealed a seven-lettered name.

"Keitaro." Iruka declared, "That's two votes for Bulma and one vote for Keitaro."

The bespectacled student winced uneasily at the sight of his own name. He had expected that Asuka, his partner in crime, would be the recipient of many votes tonight. In fact, Keitaro cast that second vote against Bulma as a pity vote, knowing that Asuka would most likely be voted out. She just made too enemies to ever last long in _Survivor_, and Keitaro got the false assumption he was safe as long as Asuka was still the scapegoat.

But he did not expect Jiraiya to target him instead.

"Keitaro."

He began shaking his head a few times in disbelief. Keitaro still didn't understand why they would target him instead of Asuka. He instantly regretted his association with Asuka in the past few days. He always thought she would be his ultimate undoing.

"Keitaro."

Asuka let out a soft cuss word when she saw his ally's name pop up for the third time. She understood why he'd receive one vote, and even two if Bulma managed to make someone pity her. But the third vote was like a final nail to his coffin, and Asuka then knew something suspicious was happening.

She turned towards Harley for his reassurance, but the Pokemon Coordinator evaded her gaze while the votes were read.

"Keitaro." Iruka said, "That's four votes for Keitaro and two votes for Bulma."

Feeling frustrated, Asuka shifted her gaze towards Keitaro, who already hanged his head in defeat. They voted against him instead of his ally for whatever reason he did not comprehend, and now it was clear to him what the last two votes in the urn will read.

"The second person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_," Iruka did not even pause when he flipped over the seventh parchment. "Keitaro. The last vote will remain a mystery."

Keitaro remained in his seat for a few seconds, still shaking his head in disbelief. He finally stood up, but was interrupted when Iruka asked him _the _question.

"Keitaro, do you have the hidden immunity idol?"

All seven players laid their eyes upon him with anxiety and anticipation. A few players were confident that he had the hidden immunity and would pull it out of his pocket any time. Others were more wary and assumed that Keitaro was voted out for good. Bulma did not know what to think at this moment. She was not made aware of the rumours that he possessed the hidden immunity idol, and she might now receive the biggest shock of her life.

After a long pause, Keitaro opened his mouth to speak.

"Uh, I don't think so." He flashed a nervous smile at the players. "But looking back now, I should've spent more time looking for that thing."

Keitaro grabbed his torch and continued his walk towards the host. He smiled at a few players in acknowledgement, but most of them were too awestruck to respond back. They were so certain that he had the hidden immunity idol, and that he would use it tonight and Bulma would be voted out instead. Faye, in particular, was the most shocked of them all.

"The tribe has spoken." Iruka said solemnly as he snuffed out the torch. "It's time for you to go."

Before Keitaro departed from tribal council, he turned around to address his tribe members one final time. He put his hand inside his pocket – the same pocket that Faye had felt during her body search yesterday, and pulled out a small heart-shaped nut that was golden bronze in colour.

It almost looked too much like an amulet from a distance.

"I found this in the forest the other day. I was going to give it to Naru as a lucky amulet, but I think you guys will need it more." Keitaro said, tossing the small fruit to Asuka.

"See you later, dweeb." Asuka caught the nut and shot him a defiant grin.

"Good luck, Asuka." Keitaro laughed weakly. He turned around again and began his departure on the walk of shame. Very soon, his figure was enveloped by the darkness and he became a distant memory of the past.

"Keitaro gave you fire _and_ a departing gift. In return, you voted him out." Iruka pressed his lips together, forming a thin wry smile. "I have nothing else to say, Jiraiya. Good night."

After leaving tribal council, Holland had a lot to think about on his mind. Voting Keitaro out was not his idea initially, but he was the one who orchestrated the demise by leading Jiraiya in that direction. Keitaro responded to the surprising outcome quite well, even though he never saw it coming. The good sportsmanship made Holland feel slightly less guilty, but he can't help but wonder if he made the right decision tonight.

Holland got his answer a few hours later, when heavy rainfall began to pour from the sky. Jiraiya's unprotected campfire was extinguished almost immediately, just like the flame on Keitaro's torch. By the time Holland realized what had happened, he could do nothing else but laugh. The _Survivor _gods sure knew how to deliver punishment with such sadistic irony.

- - -

_**Keitaro's Final Words**_

Wow, they voted out their fire-starting hero. I'm a little shocked and disappointed, but I guess that's the nature of _Survivor_. I still don't know why they targeted me. May be they're angry that I almost screwed up the first immunity challenge? Or may be they don't like that I bonded with Asuka? But I'm out of the game now, so it doesn't matter anymore. Good luck to everyone left!

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**Jiraiya is running low on essentials…**  
_Kari: We don't have a fire._  
(Kari is seen sitting by a pile of ashes.)  
_Kari__: We can't cook anything._

**Meryl shares her secret…**  
_Meryl: I__ have the hidden immunity idol._  
(A smiling Meryl takes out her amulet and shows it to Mai.)  
_Meryl: __Don't tell anyone._

**And Mai makes a ****scandalous betrayal…**  
_Mai: Hey Kurz?_  
(Mai rests her head on Kurz's shoulder. They are alone in the middle of the night.)  
_Mai: Meryl has the idol._  
_Kurz: Oh snap!_

_**All this and more on - Episode 3: How a War Begins**_

- - -

**Author's Notes:** Thanks for the encouraging reviews, everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last one. As always, I'd love to hear any of your thoughts about the story through reviews, my website, or the monthly survey. Speaking of surveys, the results to Episode 1 are posted and there's a new survey for Episode 2 as well. You can access both in my profile. 


	3. Episode 3: How a War Begins

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Kurz and Mai got cozy, although Mai admitted that she was using him to infiltrate the men's alliance. Meanwhile, Meryl worked hard to find the hidden immunity idol and she was rewarded one from the selfless Orihime. In Jiraiya, Asuka cemented Keitaro into her alliance with a forceful kiss, while miraculously starting a campfire at the same time. During the immunity challenge, Orihime ate the poisonous berry with no hesitation, thus securing a victory for Tsunade. Before tribal council, Harley and Faye pinned the target on Keitaro, whom they suspected had the idol. They persuaded Holland and his alliance to do the same, resulting in Keitaro's departure at a 6-2 vote._

_Fourteen castaways remain. Who will be voted off next?_

**Episode Three: How a War Begins**

Jiraiya Tribe** : Asuka**_(Neon Genesis Evangelion)_, **Bulma**_(Dragonball Z)_,** Faye**_(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Guy**_(Naruto)_, **Harley**_(Pokemon)_, **Holland**_(Eureka Seven)_, **Kari **_(Digimon)_

Tsunade Tribe**: Kurz **_(Full Metal Panic!), _**Mai**_(Yu-gi-oh)_, **Meryl**_(Trigun)_, **Orihime **_(Bleach)_, **Roy**_(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon**_(Scrapped Princess)_, **Zolo**_(One Piece)_

- - -

**DAY 7**

Kari Kamiya crawled out of the shelter for the first time since the devastating rainstorm ended.

Within five steps, she stepped into one of the many puddles on the ground.

Another five steps, she noticed all their supplies outside were drenched and possibly ruined.

Five more steps, she arrived at the remains of their campfire, now deteriorated to a worthless pile of wet rubbish.

No more fire. No more warmth. No more cooking. No more water.

Kari sighed. Today was going to be a terribly depressing day for Jiraiya.

_**Kari: **__It was miserable last night, coming back from tribal council to a heavy rainstorm. I think we made a mistake voting out Keitaro, because without him we don't have a fire. We can't cook food and we can't boil the water. Camp life is in the slumps right now and uh…everyone is just getting really agitated at each other. It's difficult to stay positive under these conditions._

"It's even worse than I imagined." Holland muttered as he walked up next to Kari. It was only after he surveyed the damage did he realize how the natural catastrophe had affected the tribe. "We don't have a fire anymore. We're back to square one."

"Things can't get any worse." Kari nodded in agreement.

"If that's the case, things can only become better, right?" Guy joined the pair with his usual optimistic attitude. He flashed a thumbs-up gesture at the two of them. "Don't worry, my children of Konoha. We'll find a way to solve this."

"We'll find a way to defeat the darkness…" Kari muttered to herself.

As young as she might be, Kari Kamiya was used to living in the darkness. She carried the crest of light after all, so she understood the fundamental concept that wherever light existed, darkness would always be nearby. During her days in the Digital World, Kari grew accustomed to a similar depressing atmosphere that she despised yet endured. At times like this, she looked forward to the return of light, after it conquered darkness in what seemed like an unending war.

But sometimes, the darkness seemed to overwhelm her no matter how optimistic she might be.

And at times like these, it was easy to lose all hope.

"Look on the bright side, everyone. At least we still have food and water, right?" Guy announced to the rest of his tribe this morning, despite the gloomy atmosphere. "We should be thankful for what we have left!"

"Actually, we don't have a lot of water left." Holland corrected.

"When the water in our canteens runs out, that's it. We'll have to drink from the filthy water hole once more!" Bulma cried.

She glanced at her tribe members' faces, as if seeking for an answer from one of them. Holland looked stern. Kari looked glum. Asuka looked angry. None of them made eye contact with Bulma. Nobody knew how to respond back.

"May be we should ration the water." Bulma suggested at last. "Everyone will benefit in the long term. I know it's tempting to drink the water now that it's right in front of us, but think of how miserable we'll be a few days later. We can set up some functional system or something. It's a useable idea, right?"

"Rationing the water is the dumbest idea ever." Asuka grumbled.

"So, does anyone see it from my point of view?" Bulma asked.

"Anyone who agrees with you is an idiot." Asuka rolled her eyes.

"You know, I'm getting sick of your snide remarks every time I'm talking." Bulma shot the redhead teenager an annoyed look. "I don't see you contributing anything to the tribe, so I think you should just be quiet, little girl."

Ignoring the inventor, Asuka got out her canteen and took a huge swig of water, which defeated the whole purpose of Bulma's 'preserving' plan. Asuka continued pouring water into her mouth until every last drop was gone, just to defy Bulma even further.

"Don't tell me what I can't do." Asuka smirked at her.

"You're an absolute nightmare!" Bulma threw her arms up in frustration. "Do you know how _selfish _you're being!?"

_**Faye: **__Bulma makes plenty of noise, but nobody ever listens to what she says. It's a shame because most of the time she speaks a lot of sense. But Bulma isn't the type of person who commands respect from others. And so, nobody pays any attention to her at all. That's the difference between her and Holland, because he has earned our fullest respect. And when Holland speaks, we all listen._

She maintained some distance between herself from the camera, which added to her aloof and standoffish persona.

_**Faye: **__I bet Bulma wishes she was the leader, so she could boss us around to do as she likes. She's no leader though. She's just a wannabe. _

"She could have executed it better, but Asuka brought up a good point." Guy spoke up all of a sudden. He rubbed his chin in a thoughtful manner. "I can't drink a teaspoon of water of water everyday and expect to stay healthy. My body doesn't work that way."

"You're not going to drink a _teaspoon _of water…and that's not the point!" Bulma snapped angrily.

"The water is going to turn bad sooner or later, so why not drink it now?" Guy asked.

"See, Guy is the voice of reason!" Asuka exclaimed.

"I never thought I'd live the day to hear Guy and reason be used in the same sentence." Bulma scoffed.

"If we don't have water, everyone is going to be thirsty and very agitated. Bulma, please let the children of Konoha have water." Guy said.

"Let us have water! Let us have water!" Asuka chanted.

"I'm not saying you can't drink any water. I just want you to drink _some _water." Bulma threw her arms up in frustration. "How can you not understand this simple logic?"

"What do you think, Hikari?" Asuka asked.

"I think we argue too much." Kari said, "We argue about everything. Isn't there another way to solve this problem? Why don't we ask Holland what we should do?"

"So, what should we do, leader?" Bulma asked impatiently

The entire tribe laid their eyes on Holland, who remained calm despite having the spotlight thrust upon him without warning. He cleared his throat once, and then again for a second time.

"We'll give Bulma's system a try." Holland spoke at last. His words sounded less like an uncertain answer and more like a direct command, as if his tribe members had to obey what he just said

"You've got to be kidding me! Why are you taking the cow's side?" Asuka sighed exasperatedly.

"Excuse me! I'm standing right in front of you! At least have the respect to call me names behind my back." Bulma glared.

"My decision is final." Holland grunted. "If rationing the water doesn't help after a day or so, we'll switch back immediately."

_**Holland: **__What was I to do? There're two sides to every coin and two stories to every situation. It's not easy to analyze the whole scenario and then make an immediate decision on the spot. Sometimes, I go with my brain. Other times, I go with my gut instinct. That's what you have to do when you're the leader. You can't hesitate for a second or this tribe collapses completely._

He stared intensely at the camera.

_**Holland: **__Being a leader is not an easy task. You may never gain any friends, but you'll always make new enemies._

The more Guy thought about the matter, the less satisfied he was with Holland's decision. The Jonin was dumbfounded by the whole concept of rationing the water. In his opinion, it was foolish to install a limit on how much water each person can drink. Yes, Bulma might be an intelligent woman blessed with a resourceful mind, but she was still an inexperienced camper who lived very little in the outdoors. Guy, on the other hand, practically lived in these Konoha forests for his entire life. Yet, Holland chose to side with the city woman instead of the obvious expert. And for the life of Guy, he could not understand _why_.

So, he decided to have a private talk with Holland to address his concern.

"What's up?" Holland asked.

"Holland, I want to let you know that I respect your decision." Guy said earnestly. "However, I still believe rationing the water will weaken our tribe instead of strengthening it…"

"You should leave it up to me to decide what's best for this tribe." Holland grunted.

Guy remained silent for a while, contemplating over what was just said to him. No, he did not care about what Holland said, but it was the way he said it in such a harsh and biting manner. Perhaps the nasty tone was intentional, perhaps not. Either way, Guy got the message loud and clear.

"Well, if…if that is what you want…" Guy glared at the leader, who did not return his gaze.

Deep down, Guy understood everything that Holland was saying, perhaps even more so than Holland himself. In his everyday life, Guy could be considered as an outstanding mentor, an inspirational teacher, and perhaps even a dominant leader. But in this game, Guy was just a follower who had little influence over the decisions in this tribe, or at least compared to the power that Holland possessed.

Guy was not the leader of Jiraiya. He gave up the right to that role on the first day. This meant he avoided being an enormous target right off the bet. However, this also meant that he had to follow Holland's orders obediently, regardless of what Guy might think or say. Rationing the water had never been a tribe decision. That was all Holland and _only _Holland.

As long as Guy remained in this game as a subordinate to Holland, he will always live in his leader's shadows. Whatever Holland commanded, Guy had no choice but to obey...unless…

Unless…

Unless he _defied_.

- - -

Orihime Inoue was a _different_ girl. She was different in the sense that her personality did not suit the conventions of this game. Some players built strategic alliances to further themselves on _Survivor_, but she established genuine friendships that lacked any exterior motives. Other players entered this game with the intentions to lie, manipulate and backstab all that they can, but those scandalous thoughts never crossed her mind. Yes, Orihime was definitely a unique girl who didn't quite belong in the cutthroat nature of _Survivor_. And for that reason, she had many friends in the Tsunade tribe.

Shannon, of course, was not immune to her charms. In fact, he was probably one of the first people to fall head over heels for the bubbly redhead. He grew an instant (and perhaps even a bit unreasonable) attachment to Orihime ever since they met. She was compassionate, helpful, sincere, and friendly to everyone. In short, she was his ideal girl. However, Shannon was not the type of guy who would confess these feelings, nor was Orihime the type of girls who would notice such feelings. So, the two had a perfectly platonic friendship for now, with Shannon content just being able to satisfy Orihime's smallest wishes.

"Where are you taking me?" Shannon asked. He was holding hands with Orihime, who was currently dragging him to some deep portion of the forest. "Can I open my eyes now?"

"Not yet. No peeking!" Orihime giggled.

It was Orihime's idea to bring him to a _special _place today, early in the morning before anybody else had woken up. Of course, Shannon had no qualms spending some quality alone time with her. He would never in a million years admit that he developed a tiny crush on the friendly teenager, although the rest of his tribe would state otherwise. Shannon Casull, as wise as he was in other fields of life, had not a single clue on what love felt like. Perhaps that was why Orihime intrigued him so much, because she was more than just a simple friend.

"Okay. Open your eyes now…really, really slowly." Orihime broke into a huge grin as she extended her arms. "Ta-da!"

"You took me to tribal council." Shannon smiled.

More precisely, they were standing at the base of the waterfall, near the proximity where tribal council usually occurred. It was a different sight in broad daylight, which contained the majestic glamour of the waterfall, yet lacked the sombre atmosphere of the night. The view alone was breathtaking, and it was also accompanied by several woodland creatures resting nearby the gentle, flowing stream of water. Had Shannon not been such a cryptic to life, he might have thought he stepped into a perfect fairy-tale setting.

"What's our purpose here?" Shannon asked, gazing around the amazing scenery around him.

"I'm trying to vote you out." Orihime joked.

Shannon, who did not have the keenest sense of humour, only gave her a puzzled look.

"No, I'm kidding!" Orihime's grin faltered a little when she realized her joke fell flat in front of the unresponsive swordsman. "I thought this'd be a nice play to relax! Isn't it beautiful here?"

"Is sightseeing all we're doing?" Shannon folded his arms across his chest.

"Actually, I…I want to make a time capsule with you. You know, something to reflect our time here in this game." Orihime smiled sheepishly at the swordsman. "I know it's a childish idea, so that's why I picked you to come. You're the only one who won't laugh at me."

"A time capsule?" Shannon repeated.

"Yeah! It's that little thing where you put your belongings at some place and you dig them up again some time in the future." Orihime grinned. "I want to treasure and cherish our memories here. It'll be really, really fun!"

"F…fun!?" Shannon muttered, sounding as if the word was foreign to him.

_**Orihime: **__Shannon is a little bit shy, but deep down he has a very gentle and compassionate soul. I'll never forget how he took care of me while I was sick a few days ago. I owe him so much in this game, and I feel awful because I don't know how to repay him. Making a time capsule probably isn't much, but it's just my…my way of thanking Shannon for being such a good friend._

She flashed a soothing smile at the camera.

_**Orihime: **__We're going to bury the capsule by the waterfall. That way, we can have access to it no matter what tribe we end up on in the future. I hope one day, Shannon and I will be able to come back, dig up the capsule, and have a good laugh._

Standing in the shade of a large coniferous tree, Orihime decided this would be the perfect place to bury their soon-to-be time capsule. Shannon looked completely lost with the idea, but the bubbly teenager urged him to play along. He gazed around the forest, wishing he could do something more productive instead, like actual _work_. But Orihime insisted that he was always working twenty-four-seven, so he needed to take a break and enjoy the smaller pleasures of life once in a while.

"I don't know what to put in the capsule." Shannon grumbled. He shook his head dully. "I'm not good at this."

"It can't be that hard! Just go find something that has meaning to you." Orihime replied back, "Find something that…reflects who you are in this game. Find something that will make you smile when you look at it…say, thirty days later."

"What're you putting in?" Shannon gave the redhead a quizzing look.

"That's confidential information!" Orihime winked as she placed her index finger over her lips.

Shannon sighed and averted his gaze elsewhere, wishing he was anywhere but here. It was not the fact that he despised Orihime's company, but he just felt inadequate by standing here and making such a socially awkward fool out of himself. Shannon did not like to look stupid in front of people he cared about, and Orihime happened to be one of the few people on that list. He was only used to practising his swordsmanship, beating up bad guys, and protecting his little sister, so he felt totally out of his element here.

After a more difficult than necessary search, Shannon finally grabbed a few of those miraculous medicine leaves that played a vital factor to Orihime's quick recovery from her illness. That was a terribly predictable and somewhat boring memento, since Orihime guessed it right away. But then again, Shannon was a terribly predictable and somewhat boring man himself. Nonetheless, Shannon was just glad that he had something to put into the time capsule, along with the _mysterious _item that Orihime brought from camp. They dug a small hole nearby their coniferous tree and buried the items there.

"Sooooo, this was fun! When are we going to come back for a visit?" Orihime smiled – no, she was absolutely _beaming _with radiance as far as Shannon was concerned.

"We'll come back when we're the Final Two," said Shannon in a matter-of-fact manner.

"You say that like it's really going to happen." Orihime teased him with a coy smile. "What if I get voted out before you? A lot of things can happen along the way."

"I won't let it happen." Shannon stated sternly.

Orihime smiled to herself, but said nothing in response. Can she actually respond to Shannon's remark and guarantee they will make it to the finals together? Orihime did not want to know, nor did she want to think about it either. Life was too short for her to worry about such matters. At the moment, the memory of building a time capsule with Shannon was the only thought that crossed her mind. And Orihime liked her mind like that – happy, simple, and free of strategic burden. There will be time for game later, but now she just wanted to spend some time with Shannon.

"We should head back to camp soon," said Shannon, turning his back at Orihime. He felt embarrassed for acting so uncharacteristically dramatic with his words earlier. "The others will be worried about us if we're absent for too long."

"No, let's stay here for a little longer…" Orihime whispered.

Then, she smiled at him.

And he smiled back.

Nothing could destroy this special, untainted moment between the two of them. It was a moment that will last forever in their hearts, even after they departed from this game and went back to their respective lives. No people, no strategies, no cameras, no money, no fights, no betrayals, no _anything _can take this one special moment away from Shannon and Orihime. This was their moment.

Life was perfect.

_**Shannon: **__I am not in love with Orihime. I'm not using her, not manipulating her, not influencing her, not doing anything that can possibly harm her. To all you cynics out there, we're just friends. And I respect Orihime too much to take this friendship to any other level._

Even as he was speaking, the cameraman and the producers were already shaking their heads. They had witnessed the interactions between Shannon and Orihime for the past week, and they can't believe Shannon simply perceived Orihime as a 'friend'.

But from this point on, the stubborn swordsman would confess no more. It had been difficult enough to get him, a man of few wisely chosen words, to already say this much about Orihime. There was no way someone as guarded as Shannon will ever pour his heart out to the cameras.

_**Shannon: **__I see Orihime like she's my little sister. That is the extent of our relationship._

On that note, Shannon ended the recording of his brief video confessional. Instead of standing up to leave, he remained in his seat and closed his eyes.

And he sighed.

- - -

"Welcome to your first _Survivor _auction!" Iruka announced with a jovial smile. "The concept couldn't be any simpler. I present an item, and you place bids on your chalkboard. The tribe with the highest bid wins the item. Do beware, whatever money you bid is lost regardless if you win or lose the item."

Iruka then supplied both tribes with a wallet, filled with equal sums of money. The two tribes exchanged hostile glances with each other, but said nothing as the auction began.

"In the first round, you'll be playing for these toiletries. Now you can wipe your bottom even on the loneliest nights." Iruka said, putting out a basket that contained several toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, and toilet paper. "Pick up your chalkboard and place a bid."

It was quickly decided that Holland and Mai would write down the bids for their respective tribes. After consulting with his tribe members, the Jiraiya leader scribbled down a number on the chalkboard. Mai watched his hand movements very carefully and concluded that he put down the number nine on his chalkboard. Since she only needed to top his bid by one to win, the crafty blonde wrote the number ten as her bid.

"Reveal your bids." Iruka said. Holland flipped over his chalkboard, which indeed carry the single digit '9' on it. He looked slightly agitated when he saw Mai's bid, which was just one more than his. "Sold to Mai for ten coins!"

"Fantastic. This one is for you, big guy." Meryl glanced over at the pirate hunter with a knowing smile. "The soap, I mean. You could really use it some time."

"Don't be so cheeky, woman." Zolo grumbled, which was followed by a few giggles from his tribe members.

"Let's move on to our second set of items…_hunting equipment_. Now you can bring your hunting side out in the open." Iruka held up a few spears to illustrate. "Please place another bid."

Once again, Mai followed the same strategy from before and succeeded again. Her bid of twelve coins just barely beat out his bid of eleven. However, the Jiraiya tribe was beginning to grow suspicious. They knew these types of coincidences don't often happen two times in a row.

"The hunting gear is sold to Mai for twelve coins!" Iruka declared.

Mai's trick might have worked once and even twice because she was lucky. But when she tried using it for the third time, the already guarded Holland finally caught onto her act. He shook his head and laughed, realizing how foolish he had been to let Mai literally read the bid off his chalkboard.

"Ah, that's why." Holland muttered with a dry smile on his face. He turned his back towards Mai, concealing his blackboard from her vision. "We've a _cheater _on our hands."

"Oh damn. Took you long enough to realize it." Mai grinned, guilty as charged.

Nonetheless, Mai emerged as the winner once more in this round. Her generous bid of twelve coins was enough to conquer Holland's meagre sum of seven coins. As Mai happily retrieved her third reward (pillows and blankets), Holland felt agitated at his lack of success. Tsunade was racking up all the rewards in this auction, while Jiraiya had gained nothing so far. This lopsided division was partly due to his foolishness, and partly due to his stinginess with money. He had never been someone who liked to part with his money, whereas Mai was admittedly a _shopaholic_ at heart.

"Come on, Holland. Win us something…for once." Faye muttered.

The auction progressed in Mai's favour. She dominated the next several rounds, winning items like eating utensils, new clothes, and even the mystery platter (containing a juicy steak that the tribe divided among themselves). However, her intensive bidding showed its damage afterwards, as she realized that she was spending more money than what her tribe possessed. Still, it wasn't until the seventh round that Mai finally lost a bid to Holland, who received a clue to the whereabouts of the hidden immunity idol.

"Sold to Holland for ten coins!" Iruka declared. "Now, the next item is very valuable in my opinion. A box of matches will eventually run out…but this flint lasts _forever._"

_Flint! That's exactly what we need! _Holland's face lit up with peaked interest. He turned towards his tribe members, who were eagerly nodding their heads. They were all signalling to Holland that they _must _win this essential item.

For a moment, Holland wondered if he could afford to be stingy with the money. Considering that the other tribe spent heavily in the previous rounds, they shouldn't have that much money left anyway. But Holland figured he couldn't gamble on the most critical item in this auction. So after much consideration, he decided to bid _everything _on this item – all thirty six coins that he saved up in the past eight rounds. He nodded his head to himself and smiled. No matter what bid Tsunade made, Jiraiya would win the flint for sure. Call it his own little insurance.

"Reveal your bids." Iruka said. Both players did as the host instructed. "Okay, so Holland makes an astounding bid of thirty six coins for the flint! And let's see what Mai bids…nothing."

Holland's smile faded away when he read the big zero that Mai scribbled down on her chalkboard. She must have sensed his reeking desperation and made a wise judgment call. Had Holland known that she would put such a pitiful bid, he wouldn't have spent all his money in just one round!

"Sold to Holland for thirty six coins!" Iruka declared.

There was just one item left in the auction anyway. It was the mysterious treasure box that appeared in the previous reward challenge, of which Jiraiya won. The outcome here was rather predictable, since Jiraiya didn't have any money left, so Tsunade won the item by default. Mai even made a mocking bid of _one _single coin, just to rub the loss in the other tribe's faces. The auction then ended on a quiet note, with Iruka dismissing the players back to their tribes. Tsunade returned to camp with a majority of the rewards, a total of seven items compared to Jiraiya's dismal two.

_At least we have flint. That's what matters the most. _Holland tried comforting himself with positive thoughts, but these attempts proved to be nothing more than empty words. He didn't mind so much about losing the rewards, but it really peeved him that he was outsmarted by Mai not once, but _twice _during the auction. Holland had always viewed her as an intelligent woman, but he never realized how dangerous the blonde vixen was until now.

She was cunning, fearless, and voluptuous to top it off. If he didn't know any better, he might have even feared her when he was still a young, inexperienced lad. But he was a little older and a little wiser about women now. And starting from today, Mai Valentine will definitely be registered on his radar.

- - -

Guy had the honour of starting the campfire with their newly obtained flint. It was just a matter of rubbing it against a machete a few times, sparks were then generated, and the rest was history. The Jiraiya tribe celebrated by cooking their dinner, which was the first meal they had today. Kari took on the responsibility as chef, and although she wasn't a fantastic chef, her tribe members didn't even notice the sub par quality of her cooking.

"Banzai! This tastes super watery delicious, Kari! Good job!" Guy exclaimed. Then again, he was the type who was easily pleased by the sight of food, no matter how badly overcooked it was.

"Well, it's all thanks to you for starting the fire. Consider it my little treat." Kari smiled.

"You're a real trooper, Kari! That's what you are!" Guy hollered in laughter.

_**Kari: **__Without a doubt, Guy is one of my favourite people out here. I know he can be a little unconventional at times, but that's what makes him so great! Part of his personality I think might be an act, but what's important is that he could make us laugh even during the darkest hours. Laughter is a really nice trait when everything else seems so dark and hopeless._

The petite DigiDestined offered a gentle smile to the camera.

_**Kari: **__Guy is like the big bright ray of sunshine beaming in Jiraiya. He's always optimistic and encouraging to everyone. Not to mention he does so much for us at camp and in the challenges too. We're blessed to have him on our tribe, we truly are._

Almost the entire tribe gathered around the campfire to eat dinner, but Asuka was the sole exception. For whatever reason, the redhead teenager decided to alienate herself from the rest of her tribe. Thus, she hadn't eaten anything so far. Holland, being the considerate leader that he was, had the decency to save her some leftovers once she returned to camp. However, that kind gesture was not enough for some people, namely Guy.

"The leftovers will get cold after a while, don't you think?" Guy asked.

"It's not my fault that she didn't show up for dinner." Holland shrugged his shoulders. "She's lucky that she has these leftovers."

"But still, she's a skinny and fragile girl. She needs all the food she can consume." Guy pressed his lips together, which subtly indicated that he didn't approve of Holland's actions. "I think we should cook her dinner once she comes back."

"Tough! She snoozes, she loses!" Bulma waved her hand in dismissal.

"We don't know when she's going to come back from wherever the hell she is." Holland paused and scanned his eyes through the forest. "You're asking a bit too much from us if we have to wait for her specifically just so she can have a warm meal."

"I don't think it's fair that Asuka has a second-class treatment, unlike the rest of us!" Guy exclaimed.

"She should've made an effort to show up on time if she wants to be treated like everyone else." Holland shook his head. "I don't think she's part of this tribe at all. She never tries to include herself in our activities."

"She's just off on her own deluded tangent." Bulma added.

"Is it just me or have you noticed that Asuka has been acting more…Asuka-_ish _lately?" Harley asked his tribe members.

"I think it's the other way around. We're alienating her from our tribe. Ever since Keitaro was voted off, we haven't welcomed Asuka back to our tribe," said Guy.

"What is she? A child? She doesn't need a welcoming party. We all have to face through tribal council. Deal with it." Holland muttered coldly. "It doesn't matter. She's going home next anyway."

A few people looked astonished at this blunt remark. Faye and Harley exchanged silent glances with each other over the campfire, as if they were telepathically communicating their latest thoughts.

"Hey guys…I don't mind cooking another meal when Asuka comes back." Kari spoke up. She could sense an argument erupting just when it was about to begin, so she tried her best to avoid this one. "She probably had a tough day, so she deserves a warm meal. It's the least I can do for her."

"Thank you, Kari. I'm glad you understand." Guy smiled.

"But just to compromise, can you go and find Asuka in the forest? I'm getting a bit worried that she hasn't returned at this hour…" Kari muttered.

And so, Guy departed to the forest under the advice of a girl almost thrice as young as him.

_**Guy: **__I think Holland is a great guy, but I don't know if he's doing his job properly. As our leader, he's supposed to consider the best interests of our entire tribe, so he has no reason to leave Asuka out in the cold. She's part of Jiraiya too! But it seems like Holland couldn't care less about her, and what happened tonight really shows._

He didn't look too impressed when he spoke, but the Jonin ninja soon recovered as a jolly expression returned to his face.

_**Guy: **__Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. But when it comes down to it, I'd much rather have all friends and no enemies. That's why I'm trying to befriend Asuka, trying to win her trust, and trying to get her more involved with the tribe. Jiraiya can't be a strong team unless we all trust one another. I want us to be united throughout the game._

Time was running out and Asuka did not know where the hidden immunity idol was. After hours of searching, she felt ready to give up on this tedious and time-consuming task. Even if she did find the coveted item, she could only save herself for _one _tribal council. The merge would not happen until a few weeks later, so there was no way Asuka could leave her circumstances short of a miracle. But all she wanted to do was make the merge. Instead, she was stuck here with six other idiots who will vote her out the next chance they got. Asuka knew her future looked very, very grim.

"Stupid idol…stupid Konoha…stupid game…stupid Shinji…" Asuka unconsciously backed herself into a tree and sighed. She kicked a small rock on the ground out of sheer frustration. "Stupid, stupid, stupid…"

Suddenly, Asuka could hear footsteps. _Tap. Tap. Tap. _Somebody was approaching her from behind. She swiftly turned around and was surprised to find the Konoha ninja grinning toothily at her.

"Ugh. You're such a creep." Asuka shivered. She shot him an irritated glare. "What do you want?"

"It's dinnertime. I came here to bring you home." Guy replied.

"I don't need your sympathy. I'm not hungry anyway." Asuka spat.

"Ah, that reminds me of the old saying that I hold close to my heart. Do you want to hear what it is?" Guy then replied without waiting for a response. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you, Asuka."

She avoided making eye contact with the ninja, hoping that he would leave her alone if she didn't respond back to him. However, Guy sensed her silence and continued his speech.

"Asuka, we're a team. You can't alienate yourself like this." Guy said, "I know you aren't happy that Keitaro is gone. Heck, I'm not too happy he's gone either. But you'll have to move on. Part of life is about moving on from your dark sorrows and looking forward to the bright future. Don't go _Sasuke _on us! I won't allow it!"

"You're so annoying…" Asuka grumbled.

"If we lose immunity next time, I can assure you that you won't be going home. It's a promise, Asuka." Guy said.

"What? Don't make promises that you can't keep, freak!" Asuka glanced up in surprise.

"I _never _break a promise. That's my way of the ninja." Guy grinned.

"What's in it for you? Why are you being so nice to me?" Asuka asked. From her sharp and intimidating tone of voice, it almost sounded like she was interrogating the ninja for information. "Are you bribing me to vote with you?"

"Not everyone has a motive." Guy laughed heartily. "I want you on my team. You're part of our little Jiraiya family. You're part of this beautiful springtime of youth!"

"But Holland wants me out, doesn't he?" Asuka asked.

_Ah, there it is! I knew she'd bring him up. _Guy paused as a strange smile crossed his face. Had Asuka been a little more observant, she would have noticed a sudden change in the Konona ninja. Because this was not his typical smile, which appeared so friendly, so cheerful, and so sincere all the time.

This smile, unlike the others, was a little more _sinister._

"What Holland wants…doesn't matter." Guy said nonchalantly.

"Whatever! I don't understand what the hell you're talking about…but alright, alright!" Asuka threw her arms up in the air and gave in. "I'll go eat dinner now. Leave me alone!"

"Eat up! We need all the strength we can get!" Guy exclaimed. "We need to be energized if we're going to win tomorrow."

Asuka nodded her head. She said nothing, but she did flash a bitter smile at the Jonin ninja. Perhaps it was an expression of gratitude, or may be it was just a look of defiance. Either way, she was demonstrating some sort of emotion besides anger, which could only be a good thing.

"Tsunade better watch out at the next challenge." Guy grinned. "Because we're bringing Jiraiya back, baby!"

- - -

**DAY 8**

Meryl might have the hidden immunity idol, but what she needed were some allies. Mai Valentine was a natural candidate that immediately came to mind. She seemed like the perfect choice in every aspect. Meryl had gotten along with the blonde very well, not to mention the fact that she was a _female _made her a default ally against the men. Orihime also approved of the blonde, finding her to be the 'big sister' figure around camp. The only reservation Meryl had was the connection between Kurz and Mai, which indirectly linked her to the other men. But Orihime reminded her that now was not the time to be indecisive, thus Meryl made the bold move to approach Mai for an alliance.

"It's just us girls, huh? Sometimes, it feels kinda nice to be away from the boys!" Mai grinned.

"You said it!" Meryl laughed. "I don't want those men around us anyway…at least not when we're bathing!"

"I'm really glad you won these toiletries at the auction, Mai! You got us soap _and _lemon-scented shampoo! Isn't this the best reward ever?" Orihime smiled appreciatively at the blonde. She was holding said toiletries along with a change of clothes in her arms. "Now we can take a bubble bath!"

"Now we can all smell like daisies." Mai joked.

After a lengthy hike, the three women finally arrived at the base of the waterfall – the same one that Orihime visited yesterday. The women threw off their shoes and ran towards the stream, leaving behind a trail of delightful girlish laughter.

"Wow, this place looks really nice." Orihime's soft-spoken voice was almost drowned out by the waterfall. She let out a small giggle as she dipped her feet into the stream. "And the water feels so cool and so clean!"

"I can literally see my face in the water." Meryl added, also soaking her feet in the water. She leant forward to study her reflection. "Ah…I see I've lost a bit of weight already…"

"What are you girls waiting for? Let's go for a swim!" Mai laughed.

"Actually, Mai…" Meryl shot a quick glance at Orihime, who nodded her head encouragingly. "Before we do that, there's something we'd like to tell you."

But not a single word was exchanged. Meryl took out the hidden immunity idol from her pocket and Mai understood everything.

_**Orihime: **__Senpai and I told Mai about the idol to earn her trust. It's a risky move because we don't know how trustworthy she is. She might turn around and tell everyone the secret. But at this point, we don't have a lot of options. Sometimes you just have to take the plunge, fall off that cliff, cross your fingers, and hope for the best. Either we trust Mai as an ally or we go home._

"Yep, I have the hidden immunity idol." Meryl smiled.

"So this…this is what it looks like. Unbelievable." Mai muttered in disbelief. "And you have it. Wow. Simply wow."

"We found it together actually." Meryl turned around and acknowledged Orihime with a smile.

"Who else knows about this?" Mai asked, eyeing the two women with suspicion.

"Just the three of us, so don't…don't tell anyone." Meryl said. "We're showing you this because we trust you."

"I trust you girls too." Mai nodded her head.

"In that case, how about an alliance?" Meryl asked.

"I'm in." Mai replied almost instantly. "I've been meaning to ask you two about an alliance anyway, but this just sweetens the deal. Someone has to take down that cockhouse. It might as well be us."

"Thank you! I'm so glad!" Orihime sighed in relief.

"Mind if I recruit Kurz into our alliance? I've been working on him the past few days and we need a fourth person anyway." Mai said casually. "Having the idol is nice, but if we got Kurz with us, the idol won't even come into play."

"Him?" Meryl's expression noticeably dropped at the mention of the pilot's name. "I don't know. He doesn't look like he has good intentions. Can we trust him?"

"I think Shannon might be a better choice." Orihime suggested.

"If we really do need a fourth wheel, I'm leaning more towards Roy. He's the only guy here who knows how to talk to a lady." Meryl said as she quietly put the amulet back into her pocket. "But let's worry about that later. For now, we got a strong threesome and we can leave a massive impact on the tribe. I'm grateful to achieve just that."

"Hey, we need a name! We can't have an alliance without a name." Orihime giggled.

"What should we call ourselves? The three musketeers?" Meryl asked, followed by a short guilty chuckle. "No, that sounds too manly. We need a more girly one."

"We are the three vixens, or just Vixens for short. I think that suits us well." Mai said.

"The Vixens. Hmm, that does have a nice ring to it!" Orihime smiled.

_**Mai: **__Meryl and Orihime are two cool chicks. They're very genuine people and so down-to-earth too. I regret not aligning with them earlier in the game. The men I've already dismissed in the garbage bin. Kurz is the only one worth saving, but even he seems insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I'm all about girl power now, baby!_

"Now that we've a name settled, can we go for a swim? I'm itching to get my body in that cool, refreshing water!" Mai laughed. Her hands were about to remove her tank top when Orihime suddenly stopped her midway.

"Wait, we're not alone. I think I hear someone over there…" Orihime lowered her voice into an urgent whisper.

"Are you sure? I don't see anyone." Mai followed her gaze and muttered.

"There!" Orihime exclaimed. She reacted surprisingly fast for an ill person, picking up a small rock on the ground and hurling it at that direction. Seconds later, an injured Kurz rose up from behind the bushes, rubbing his forehead.

"Oww…" Kurz groaned as he emerged from his hiding spot. "You don't have to hit so hard, Orihime!"

"Oh, it's just you." Mai shrugged her shoulders. She stripped off her tank top anyway, regardless of the present company. Kurz was delighted to have an eyeful of the visual treat, but he was quickly stopped by Meryl, not looking impressed.

"What are you doing here?" Meryl folded her arms across her chest. "How long have you been hiding there!?"

"Hello ladies, I was just in the neighbourhood and I thought I'd drop by for a visit." Kurz laughed nervously.

"So you were spying on us!" Meryl gasped.

"No, let me explain…" Kurz took a few steps back, sensing the fury evoking from the insurance agent. Meryl might appear like a petite and harmless woman, but she still carried an intimidating demeanour when she was angry.

"I'd like to see you explain yourself out of this one, honey." Mai smirked.

"Explain what!? You're a pervert!" Meryl yelled.

"Hey, calm down! Don't fret, don't fret! You'll get wrinkles on your lovely face." Kurz continued stepping back until he felt like he was a safe distance away from the women. "Besides, I'm not the enemy here. How can I be the enemy when I'm made up of _love _and _peace_?"

As if he said the taboo words, there was a drastic change to Meryl's behaviour all of a sudden. She dropped her head and stood motionless on her spot for a long time. Her angry scowl disappeared, now replaced by a sombre and blank expression on her face. The others sensed something was wrong with Meryl's abrupt silence, but none of them knew how to react.

"Is something wrong, senpai?" Orihime asked with uncertainty.

"You're not fit to say those words." Meryl muttered, pointing her finger at the blonde pilot. "You're not even in the same league as _him_."

"Wh…what? What did I do?" Kurz stammered.

Without replying, Meryl picked up her clothes from the ground and walked away. She did not make eye contact with anyone as she departed. A concerned Orihime chased after her friend, leaving the two blondes at the waterfall by themselves.

"What happened?" Kurz scratched his head, looking very puzzled. "Did I say something wrong?"

"I've got a feeling that Meryl just doesn't like you much." Mai smirked.

"She's a really strange woman, you know that? One minute she goes berserk on my ass, the next she's acting all quiet and sulky." Kurz rubbed his forehead in frustration. "She's so damn moody and troublesome. And she got one hell of a temper too. No wonder none of the guys like her."

"You don't understand anything about women. I'm sure Meryl has her own reasons for being upset." Mai frowned.

"Well, having personal issues doesn't excuse her from being such a _biatch_." Kurz raised an eyebrow. "Hey, could it be _that _time of the month for her? You know, you know? May be I should start calling her the PMS Queen from now on."

_**Mai: **__It was a little unsettling to know that Kurz was hiding behind a bush while we were talking. Who knows how much he has heard about our alliance? He puts on a goofy smile and cracks some stupid jokes, but there's something shady about his character beyond the façade. I used to think he's a harmless sheep, but now I see there's more to Kurz Weber than meets the eye._

She folded her arms against her chest.

_**Mai: **__Then, there's Meryl. I'm worried about her too. She seems like a pretty emotional person at times. I don't feel safe having her hold onto the idol, because it's bound to be wasted. Excuse me if I'm being frank, but she's kind of clueless about this game. I hope for her sake that she knows what she's doing, because if she plays with fire too much, she's gonna get burned._

- - -

Everybody loved magic tricks, and Roy Mustang knew enough to impress a lady on any special occasion. He was not a legitimate magician by any means, but he could make several random items vanish into thin air and have them reappear in unexpected places. These tricks were not real of course, nor did Roy believe in the impractical matter of magic for one second. All magic tricks were based on illusions or trickery of some sort, making trivial things appear not as they seemed.

"Want to see a magic trick?" Roy asked, eyeing the three Tsunade women with an amused expression. He knew the rather guileless Orihime would say yes even if the other two women declined his request. Still, it was important for Roy to _appear_ diplomatic in front of the women. As everyone acquainted with the colonel knew, he was a man who cared very much about appearances.

"Sure! That sounds like fun!" Orihime smiled.

"I'll need something of yours." Roy said, pointing at the flowered hairclips that the bubbly redhead wore in her hair. She obediently removed one clip and held it in her right hand, yet she looked reluctant to hand it over to Roy.

"This means a lot to me…" Orihime whispered.

"Don't worry." Roy smiled, taking the blue hairclip from Orihime and placing it on his palm. After a few seconds, he closed his hand to form a clenched fist, concealing the hairclip from sight. "Now watch my hand carefully."

He motioned his fist towards the redhead, swaying his hand back and forth in front of her eyes. He repeated this process for a few times while the women observed him with fascination. Orihime was silent throughout the whole ordeal, as were Mai and Meryl who watched from the sidelines. Roy stopped after a while and unclenched his fist, revealing that there was nothing in his hand.

"Where did it go!?" Orihime gasped with genuine surprise.

"Check your body." Roy smirked.

"You don't mean…you placed my hairclip in my…my…_you know where_?" Orihime gasped again. She suddenly gazed down to examine her body. Her well-endowed bosom was the first thing she saw.

"No! I'm not that type of magician!" Roy followed her gaze and almost laughed with embarrassment. "No, check your clothes."

"Oh." Orihime slipped her hands into her pockets. To her surprise, she pulled out the same flowered hairclip that Roy held in his hand just a minute ago. The redhead looked up at Roy with a mixture of awe and confusion. "How…how did it get in there!?"

"Very impressive." Mai smiled thinly at the colonel.

"Roy, tell me!" Orihime giggled with the same enthusiasm often found in innocent schoolgirls. "Tell me how you did the trick!"

"A magician never reveals his secret." Roy grinned.

_**Roy: **__There's an ongoing battle of the sexes in Tsunade, and it'll emerge to the surface very soon. Some of the men might not agree with me, but the situation is a little more complicated than just guys versus girls. That's why it's crucial to win the favour of these women in my tribe, because you never know who your allies are during a war – especially when there are women involved…_

There was an ambiguous expression on Roy's face. He was teasing the camera with some tidbits of his thoughts, but not revealing everything in order to remain mysterious.

_**Roy: **__But it doesn't matter if I'm siding with the men or the women. All I know is that gender wars, like all other wars, will never end pleasantly. So, I'll just try my best to exit this fight victorious, and hopefully, unharmed. _

While Roy performed his dainty little magic show for the women, two pairs of eyes were spying on him from a faraway distance. Zolo and Kurz watched his every graceful interaction and every effortless flirtation, and they were not impressed. The handsome colonel sometimes had this aggravating effect on people, which was intensified under the stressful environment of _Survivor_. Of course, Zolo was never an easy man to impress, but even the normally light-hearted Kurz was beginning to lose his cool around Roy. The pilot was almost pushed to his limits when he saw Roy place a friendly arm around Mai's shoulders, in a manner that could be left up to interpretation.

"Look at Roy getting so chummy with the girls. They're totally mesmerized with him too. There's a _real _master at work." Kurz narrowed his eyes at the colonel, who still had not removed his arm from Mai's shoulder.

"He's a first-class womanizer." Zolo added.

After seven days, the men were still uncertain what to make of Roy Mustang. On one hand, he seemed like the perfectly ideal tribe member – a sociable young man brimming with self-confidence and maturity. Yet, there was something shady about the handsome colonel that made him a rather untrustworthy ally.

"Roy is always with the women, isn't he?" Kurz asked.

"Yeah, Mustang spends too much time with them." Zolo offered the pilot a small smirk. "That guy is even worse than you, Weber."

"I'm nothing like him. I mean, it's obvious he isn't a trustworthy kind of guy. Just look at him. He's the type who'll double-cross us for a nice dose of estrogen." Kurz frowned. He prided himself as a bit of a ladies man, so he was reasonably annoyed at how popular Roy was with the women.

"This is coming from you of all people!" Zolo snickered.

"Don't put the two of us in the same mould. I, for one, will never betray my _homies_!" Kurz laughed heartily.

"Homies?" Zolo repeated the word with uncertainty. "If you say so. But you've a good point. Mustang shouldn't be fraternizing with the enemy. Who knows if this is part of his strategy? I can't read that guy."

"It's definitely strategic. If the three women vote as a bloc, they'll target us before him." Kurz said.

"Yeah, but that's only because Mustang is their bitch." Zolo smirked.

"In that case, he fits right in with the ladies!" Kurz continued without missing a beat.

"He's too much of a playboy to be in our alliance. We need to keep a tighter leash on him. Can't let those women steal his balls away." Zolo folded his muscular arms across his chest. "Nothing against the women, but they're fragile and they'll only complicate matters. Roy must stay true to the men."

"Right on, brother. We must stick together no matter what." Kurz grinned. "Go sausage power!"

_**Kurz: **__Roy has a good head on his shoulders. He knows how to play this game. Right now, he's trying to lay low, schmooze everyone, and remain unnoticed. It's working too, because all the girls seem to love him. He might act like he's Prince Charming, but I can see through his bullshit. I mean, he's a slick guy, but may be a little too slick for his own good._

The blonde pilot ran his hand through his long golden locks.

_**Kurz: **__In another life, we probably would have been good friends. He'd make a pretty good wingman if we went strolling in bars to pick up single girls. But in this game, Roy is my biggest opponent, because we're playing with essentially the same strategy. And if I'm not careful, he might just be the wedge that destroys all my plans._

- - -

Immunity was back up for grabs.

"For today's challenge, you'll be assembling a gigantic jigsaw puzzle on the ground. Except, of course, you'll be blindfolded." Iruka needed to pause because the players were groaning in unison. After they were finished, he continued with his instructions. "There'll be one _watcher _from each tribe, who'll stand on top of the watchtower and arrange the puzzle. Meanwhile, everyone else will have to listen to their watcher's instructions and somehow arrange the puzzle without actually seeing what is built. The first tribe to finish wins immunity!"

Bulma and Roy were chosen to be the watchers, while the remaining players stayed on the ground, blindfolded and without the foggiest idea on how to assemble a puzzle that they had never seen before.

"Survivors ready? Go!"

_I know this puzzle! _Bulma gasped in delight. She immediately recognized these puzzle pieces were identical to the sliding puzzle she completed in the first immunity challenge. The puzzle on hand also featured a _Survivor _logo, except this time the pieces were large, clunky cardboard pieces that were heavy to move around.

Roy, despite never seeing the puzzle before, had also figured out he was trying to build a _Survivor _logo. He was already shouting out instructions to his tribe members.

"Tsunade, listen up!" Roy shouted with the same authoritative voice that he used in the military. "Make sure you only pick up the green pieces!"

"It doesn't matter! We can't see the colours anyway!" Kurz shouted back.

"Kurz, take a step forward! There's a huge puzzle in front of you! Meryl, I want you to turn left and take four…no, five steps. You'll find another piece there!"

"Wha…I don't feel anything!" Kurz said, after taking the one step as instructed. He got on his knees and began searching the ground for a puzzle piece, but found nothing

"You're actually on _top _of the piece, Kurz! Get up!" Roy shifted his attention back to the blonde pilot. But then, he spotted Meryl walking in the wrong direction. She must have gotten her right and left directions mixed up. "No, Meryl! Turn back! You're going in the wrong way!"

"What about us!? We're just standing here, yo!" Zolo yelled.

"Yeah, give us something to do!" Mai chimed in.

"I'm getting to you…"

Tsunade began the challenge in a state of chaotic disorder, and they will remain this way throughout the entire challenge. Roy knew how to put the puzzle together, but it was difficult for him to communicate his thoughts to six people who had no idea what they were doing. It didn't help matters that his impatient tribe members were shouting over his voice, so that Roy's commands sometimes got lost in all the noise.

Not that Jiraiya was doing any better, but Bulma opted for a completely different strategy for the challenge. She was only giving instructions to Guy and Holland, the two strongest members in her tribe. The others can take a nap for all she cared, but Bulma only focused on navigating those two men instead of micromanaging six people at once. As a result, Jiraiya was moving a lot slower, but they were also more efficient than the less-oriented Tsunade tribe.

Minutes passed by, and Jiraiya was stealing a comfortable lead over Tsunade. Roy was already starting to lose his voice, and his clumsy tribe members were either walking in the wrong direction or they were bumping into each other. Poor Orihime took the most falls throughout the challenge, which gave her many scrapes and scratches all over her body. Tsunade was slowly losing their momentum in the challenge, not that they had made a lot of progress in the beginning anyway.

The opposite can be said about Jiraiya, because Bulma's strategy was paying out in the long run. Holland and Guy might only be two people, but they made a damn efficient team together. The pair was practically like Bulma's left and right hand, and through the two of them, she was able to pick up the puzzle pieces and place them where she desired. Guy and Holland followed her instructions to a tee, and asked for clearer instructions in the few occasions they were confused. There was an orderly structure going on in Jiraiya, which the other tribe definitely lacked.

"Zolo, I want you to turn a twenty-degree angle!" Roy shouted desperately. He knew he was falling behind. "You put that piece in the wrong place! I want you to turn around and try again!"

"Twenty-degree angle? What the hell is that!?" Zolo asked.

As Zolo tried figuring out which direction to turn, he accidentally tripped over Mai, causing both of them to tumble down on the ground. They both groaned in unison. Meanwhile, Jiraiya had none of these troublesome interruptions. They were cruising through this challenge like no tomorrow.

"You're doing great, guys!" Bulma clapped her hands together in encouragement. "Just a few more pieces to go! Hold on there!"

The more time passed, the larger the gap became. Soon, it became clear to Iruka and the two watchers that a winning tribe was already determined. There was no way Tsunade with their pathetic effort can ever catch up to Jiraiya, who was only two or three pieces from finishing their puzzle. And it was no surprise when Guy and Holland inserted those final pieces, cementing an obvious victory in place.

"Jiraiya wins immunity!" Iruka announced.

Guy and Holland threw off their blindfolds and grinned. They exchanged a quick high-five with each other, which evolved into a congratulatory (but very manly) hug. Bulma soon climbed down from her watchtower and joined in the embrace. The other four members, who essentially contributed nothing to the challenge except silent moral support, also joined in the celebration, because they were a part of Jiraiya too. A win for Jiraiya was a win for all of them. And regardless of whatever feuds, grudges, or resentment they had for each other, everyone in Jiraiya was united together through this victory.

"Well, damn. Another tribal council." Mai sighed, grumpily tossing her blindfold on the ground.

"Don't worry, dear. Don't worry and be happy." Kurz whispered into the blonde's ear while he massaged her neck. "I'll always be by your side."

There was no bond stronger than love, or that was what some romantics say. These two lovebirds might not know it yet, but something very drastic will happen to them in a few hours. Something so drastic that it will change their relationship forever.

And whether or not Kurz and Mai will stay together after this incident, well, that will be determined by the strength of their superficial love.

- - -

It was almost midnight. Most of Tsunade was fast asleep, but a couple that was still awake had snuck out into the forest in the middle of this restful night. Mai never thought highly of Kurz Weber as a boyfriend, but she admitted that he could be quite romantic when he tried. It was his idea to watch the stars together in the peaceful solitude of the night. And sitting here, with her head perched on his broad shoulders and his muscular arms wrapped around her waist, Mai thought nothing could destroy this perfectly ideal moment.

Then, Kurz opened his mouth.

"I think you should stay away from Roy. That guy is a snake and he's up to no good." Kurz whispered.

"He's the least of our worries right now." Mai sighed.

"When the opportunity comes, I wanna vote him out." Kurz continued.

Mai sighed again, knowing fully well that a tender moment with Kurz would never last long. Outside this game, a relationship could blossom under the usual circumstances. But here, an actual romance was next to impossible in this competitive and cutthroat environment. Flowery talk became strategic talk. Harmless flirting became deceptive manipulating. Even stargazing at night became plotting in the dark.

"So, who should be voted off tomorrow night?" Kurz asked.

"I thought…I thought you wanted to vote Roy out?" Mai raised an eyebrow. She studied his face carefully before adding, "We've a great opportunity at the next tribal council."

"Not tomorrow, exactly. I meant some other time. Another tribal council." Kurz cleared his throat.

"You want to vote out a woman." Mai muttered dully.

"I'll make sure you're safe from the guys." Kurz pecked Mai tenderly on her left cheek. She didn't change expressions despite the rather daring action. "No harm will come your way as long as I'm by your side."

"Kurz…why is it that you have to protect me from the vote? Don't you think I'm capable of protecting myself?" Mai asked.

"You can protect me too if you want." Kurz grinned.

"Do you think the women are powerless in this tribe?" Mai prodded.

"Well, if you phrase it like that…" Kurz looked uncomfortable at the abrupt interrogation. "For now, may be…I'm sure it'll change sooner or later."

"How about now? Why don't we change the game around, Kurz?" Mai grabbed Kurz's hand and held it in her own. "I think we should align with the women and vote out a man. Like _Roy_, for example."

"I don't think that's a good idea, honey." Kurz muttered.

"Why not? You love being around women, don't you?" Mai brought her body closer to the pilot until she was literally whispering into his ear. "Why don't you save them then?"

"I…I love women of course, but right now…right now we have to keep our tribe strong. The men are physically stronger than the women as of now." Kurz pulled himself away from Mai, maintaining a defensive distance between them.

"That's bullshit. Talk about a glass ceiling effect in action." Mai grunted.

"Look, I'm sorry I brought this topic up." Kurz averted his eyes away from the blonde. "Can we change the subject now?"

"I was afraid it'd come to this." Mai sighed.

Kurz was relieved when Mai fell silent for a while, seemingly fixated on her thoughts. He thought he managed to avoid an unpleasant situation between them, but then she spoke up again. This time, she sounded different – she talked with an even more confident poise than before.

"Hey Kurz?"

"Yeah?"

"Meryl has the idol."

"Oh snap!" Kurz gasped in surprise. "Are you kidding me?"

"She showed me today. It's a little amulet with the letters H.I. engraved on the cover," said Mai. "Yeah, I was just as surprised as you are. She has it, baby. She's sitting really pretty right now."

"Well…well, that changes everything, d…doesn't it?" Kurz stammered.

"Tell me about it. If you don't vote with Meryl, she's going to vote for you at the next tribal council." Mai continued, "You're no Shannon. You're no Roy. You're not the most popular guy around in this tribe."

Kurz couldn't reply back. All he could do was mouth the words 'oh my god' over and over again.

_**Kurz: **__I was shocked as hell when Mai told me who had the hidden immunity idol. Let me tell you, I don't like surprises and this…this is a really bad surprise! Why did it have to be Meryl? I didn't include her in any of my game plans because she was supposed to go next. Or so I thought. No, this is bad. This is really bad._

Kurz shook his head, looking very troubled.

_**Kurz: **__May be Mai is lying to lure me into her little girls' alliance. It's possible and I wouldn't put it below her to do such a tactless thing like that. But what if Meryl does have the idol? I'd be the most likely target of her vengeance. Oh god, what do I do? Tell me what to do. Now, I'm panicking. Full metal panic!_

"Wait, you're not pulling my leg, are you?" Kurz raised an eyebrow. "This isn't some stupid prank you pulled to test my loyalty, is it?"

"I'm dead serious." Mai fixed her deep violet eyes onto his. "If you don't vote with the women, they'll cast their votes against you. The idol gets played and your ass is out. It's that simple, honey."

"Don't I have any other choice?" Kurz asked.

Mai just shrugged.

"But…but you'll save me, right? Right, honey?" Kurz asked.

Mai shrugged her shoulders again.

"So you're just using me for my vote." Kurz slouched back, looking visibly startled. "That's all I am to you, huh? A frickin' vote to make it further in the game."

"All is fair in love and war." Mai said, although she seemed a little hurt to hear such harsh words from Kurz. "If I didn't like you, darling, I wouldn't have told you about the idol in the first place. I would've just let Meryl blindside you tomorrow night."

"Fine. I'll vote…vote with you girls. Just tell Meryl to chill out, okay? Don't do anything crazy." Kurz sighed.

"Say it like you mean it. I want you to be one hundred percent honest with me." Mai glared. "Are you going to vote with the women?"

"Yes." Kurz muttered.

"Don't betray me, Kurz. I'm very clever and I got resources in this tribe." Mai placed a finger on top of his delicate lips. "If I find out that you're double-crossing me, you'll be a very sorry man."

Kurz remained silent, but nodded his head as a response. Mai watched him intently, wondering if she could catch a sign of him wavering in his shifty eyes or quivering lips. So far, she thought he'd remain loyal to her, although she didn't know how long that would last. She made a gutsy move tonight by threatening Kurz into an alliance. She just hoped it would pay off in the long run.

Unfortunately, Kurz was already planning an escape route in his head.

- - -

**DAY 9**

Bulma did not ask for much in this game. She just wanted a secure position in her tribe.

She had no tribal council to attend tonight, but that did not mean _Survivor _had stopped for her. The game was still in progress. And her ass was still on the chopping block. She was particularly concerned about the two votes she received last time, one of which belonged to someone still in the game. And that meant someone was gunning after her in the tribe, someone who could possibly sway the other tribe members and turn them against her on a whim.

Of course, that 'someone' was simply Asuka, who had marked Bulma as an enemy ever since their first trivial argument on day one. By means of logic, Asuka should be the next one to go because she was in the obvious minority. Yet, Bulma was still terrified. She was scared to death that the wild and unpredictable Asuka will pull off something drastic and convince the tribe to send Bulma home instead. And even if Asuka did go, Bulma was still scared because she knew she was next in line.

First Asuka.

Followed by Bulma.

And then the majority.

That was the pecking order for Jiraiya, which had a pretty unfriendly order if you were one Bulma Briefs. She was next to go after Asuka unless something changed in the cosy tribe dynamics. Because everyone not called Asuka or Bulma were sitting very pretty in the game right now. They were comfortable, confident, and completely in control. And that fact made the powerless Bulma sick to her stomach.

So, Bulma decided to fight back.

In the game of _Survivor_, there were a lot of definitions to _fighting back_. One could fight by launching an all-out attack, blatant and obvious, and open to everyone. Bulma preferred to fight in a stealthier manner, by creating rifts, causing animosity and highlighting tension. Jiraiya was not a perfect tribe despite what it seemed on the surface. There were still a lot of cracks in between the group dynamics, which Bulma was free to exploit.

And one particular dynamic that stood out to her, and was addressed at the last tribal council, was the one between the workers and the slackers. The hardworking Guy had expressed dissatisfaction towards the lazier tribe members. In return, people like Harley and Faye felt offended because they thought the remark were aimed at them.

Bulma sat there and watched. And she listened. And she observed.

And she knew if she played her cards right, Bulma can easily improve her current position on the tribe ladder.

_**Bulma: **__These people, this game, the damn tribe! I'm not ready to go home yet. If I do a little shit stirring here and there, I think I might still have a chance. What I need is someone to fall before me. Forget Asuka, she's as good as gone anyway. I'm talking about the big boys here. I'm aiming for the top of the food chain, where I'll knock some people down a few notches._

She pumped her fist triumphantly in the air, as if the celebrate her own mission.

_**Bulma: **__Harley, bless him, I get along with him like hair and gel. But he's also an emotional person…and he has a catty side to him as well. He can annoy people as easily as he can be annoyed. That's great for me, because if I push him at the right direction, I can cause some conflicts that won't revolve around me. And I'll get by the upcoming votes scot-free._

True to reputation, Bulma found Harley lying lazily inside the shelter this morning even though everyone was already up and working. The Pokemon Coordinator claimed he was a little under the weather today, but some tribe members wondered if Harley manufactured an excuse to shirk work. After all, this wasn't the first time Harley had been perceived as _lazy _by his tribe members. In any case, that just made Bulma's job easier. Everyone already _suspects _that Harley was a slothful little twerp, now she just had to _confirm _this opinion.

"Hey homeboy, I love what you did with your hair!" Bulma laughed as she slid over to the shelter and joined him. "The ponytail looks great on you."

"You're looking pretty spectacular yourself, honey! I think you lost may be ten pounds with that sizzling outfit!" Harley winked.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's because I haven't eaten a proper meal in eight days." Bulma laughed, dropping her head in mock shame. She raised it a few seconds later, carrying an evident grin on her face. "Oh, what the hell is with this charade! I haven't bathed for a week! I'm turning into some uncivilized animal!"

"I look atrocious too. I'm trying to hide my bedhead with the ponytail. This place sucks." Harley offered her a weak smile. "Let's quit and go home. I can really use a hair straightener right now!

"Oh go on. I'll have one less person to worry about." Bulma teased.

"Ahh, you cutthroat bitch!" Harley joked.

This type of playful banter continued between them for a while. Part of the reason why Bulma and Harley clicked so well together was their similar sense of humour. She appreciated his wittiness, while he enjoyed her sassy remarks. The two of them even thought on the same wavelength as each other. In a way, they could have made great allies in this game, but Harley never dared to approach the inventor for an alliance or even a pact of some sort.

"Because she's a loose cannon. It's hard to predict her reaction." Harley explained to the camera in a confessional. "I tell her one thing, and I worry if she's going to blab it to the rest of the tribe. That's why it's suicidal to align with Bulma, because it'll never remain a secret. It'll be way too obvious if we teamed up together."

So, the two of them simply remained as friends for now. And that was fine with Bulma, who did not want to make any commitments with Harley anyway. She was not big on making commitments and joining alliances. Too complicated. Too much of a hassle. Too easily betrayed.

"Are you feeling alright though? Your face looks a little pale." Bulma told her friend, sounding concerned.

"I know, huh! My body just feels so exhausted for some reason." Harley's shoulders slumped to demonstrate his point. "I don't have enough beauty sleep, that's the problem."

"You know what'll be cool? This place needs a hammock around here! We should build one!" Bulma grinned.

"Ooh, I love that idea, girl!" Harley giggled.

"Won't it be great if we don't have to sleep on these bamboo shoots anymore?" Bulma continued speaking, almost like she was selling a business pitch to a potential customer. "I bet you can get a lot of sleep if you're on a hammock."

"Oh yeah, I'm totally sold!" Harley nodded his head.

"We'll have to construct it first. It'll be a quick project. Help me out." Bulma said, "We can get a hammock up in no time."

"How can I help?" Harley asked.

"Well, you can start by asking Guy for some rope. I don't know where he put our supplies," replied Bulma.

"But I don't want to talk to Guy!" Harley made a face. "He's so annoying!"

"Hammock or Guy? Hammock or Guy?" Bulma made a weighing gesture with her hands to compare the two topics. "I'm not asking you to be his new best friend. You're just getting rope from him."

Reluctantly, Harley went. He wanted that hammock _so _badly.

When the Pokemon Coordinator was out of sight, Bulma smiled proudly to herself. Harley fell for her bait. Hook, line, and sinker!

"Hey Guy!" Harley called out to the ninja, whom he found somewhere in the forest. "Can I borrow some rope from you?"

"Why?" Guy asked curiously.

"We want to build a hammock at camp," said Harley.

"A hammock?" Guy raised his eyebrows in surprise. A strange smile crossed across the ninja's face. "Don't you sleep enough as it is?"

"Hey, don't judge _me_! I don't judge _you_!" Harley snapped.

"I'm not judging you. I just think we can use the rope in a more productive way." Guy shrugged his shoulders, but Harley can sense the heavy condescension hinted in the ninja's voice. "But if you want to build a hammock, then I won't stop you."

"What I do with the rope is none of your business." Harley rolled his eyes.

"Just go, Harley." Guy sighed. He was not in the mood to get into a mundane argument over a piece of rope. "I put it near the machetes. Get the rope and go."

_**Guy: **__Some of us are working so hard to improve this camp, but there're other people who'd rather sleep in a hammock than contribute to the tribe. I don't think I've seen Harley lift up a single finger to do any work in the past nine days, and I doubt it'll change any time soon. He's getting a free ride here because he's like a social butterfly. He flutters his wings from one conversation to the next, avoiding any actual labour in the process._

At the mention of Harley's name, the Jonin ninja scoffed in ridicule.

_**Guy: **__It's not like I haven't given the slackers a chance. And it's not like I haven't addressed this issue in the last tribal council. However, Holland still hasn't done anything to correct this problem, even though he's supposed to be the leader. May be he's too afraid to offend the slackers, I don't know. But if he isn't going to change this tribe for the better, then I will._

If Bulma could hear this confessional, she would be very pleased.

Because the shit-stirring had officially begun.

- - -

Like she expected, Mai found her allies lounging around the waterfall area. Unbeknownst to the men, this was quickly becoming their secret hideaway. There was something very relaxing, very serene about the location, whether it was the sound of water splashing against the rocks or the sight of little woodland creatures gathering at the stream. All three women loved resting here, where they were away from the boys and away from the drama. Meryl, in particular, just wanted to stay here until tonight, so that she could avoid tribal council politics altogether.

"Hey there, girlies. I was wondering where you two have gone. Did you have a nice time?" Mai smiled as she sat down next to the two women by the stream.

"We did! It was just such a beautiful morning, so Meryl and I thought we'd go for a swim. It really wakes you up, you know!" Orihime laughed. "I'm sorry for not telling you about this beforehand. You must be so worried."

"Anyway, I probably have to play the idol tonight. We're outnumbered by the men." Meryl said, acting business-like as usual.

"I did persuade Kurz to vote with us though…" Mai muttered.

"No, I don't trust Kurz. Even when I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt, I still don't trust him." Meryl frowned, "Don't you just find him very sleazy and untrustworthy?"

"I hope you're not implying that we vote for him tonight." Mai narrowed her eyes at the petite insurance agent. "Because that's a plan I won't approve. I know for a fact that Kurz is on our side and he'll never betray us for the world."

"We shouldn't rely on Kurz for anything. That's all I'm saying." Meryl pressed her lips together.

"Fair enough. We'll vote tonight as if we don't have Kurz's support." Mai muttered. Normally, she didn't like backing down from her stance, but she met someone who was just as stubborn and opinionated as her. "I still think we should target Zolo though. He talks like a thug and acts like a slug."

"I'm not big on him either. I don't think he'll ever align with a woman." Meryl added.

_**Meryl: **__All the men have their faults. Roy is too much of a schmoozer, Shannon is too much of a grump, and Kurz is too much of a goof. And Zolo? Well, he's just too much of a man. He's overloaded with testosterone. That's why we decided to vote for him tonight, because he seems the least approachable of the four guys._

Meryl shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant manner.

_**Meryl: **__I'm sorry that we don't have a better reason, but he's just a casualty of war._

"Orihime, are you okay with the decision?" Mai asked.

"Do we know for sure that Senpai is receiving votes tonight? Because the other guys might vote for one of us instead…" Orihime said.

"I never thought of that." Mai rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "But I don't think the men are that smart. They think they're facing a regular tribal council. They'd just vote out who they think is the weakest member. No offence, Meryl."

"I gave them enough reasons to throw their votes at my direction." Meryl nodded her head in agreement.

"Besides, Charlie don't think." Mai added.

"My heart tells me we're making a mistake." Orihime mumbled. "I've a really bad feeling about this. There's something that we've overlooked."

Mai remained silent, thinking about the logic behind Orihime's words. At first, it sounded like a lot of paranoid rubbish, but the words were sinking in and they began to make some sense for the blonde. For a moment, she overlooked the fact that she revealed about the idol to Kurz, which was something she didn't disclose to her allies. Neither of them seemed like huge fans of the blonde pilot, so this was an action they wouldn't have approved of.

But still, Mai thought she had nothing to worry about. In fact, Kurz promised her last night that he'd cease allegiance with the men and vote the women. If he kept his word, then tonight would actually be a predictable turn of affairs. And why wouldn't he keep his word to her, Mai wondered. After all, he'd never ever dare to lie so blatantly in her face, right?

Unless Kurz Weber was not the man she thought he was. In which case, Mai might have made the biggest mistake in her life.

- - -

"Meryl has the hidden immunity idol."

As soon as Kurz said those forbidden words, he knew he betrayed Mai's trust forever. There was no turning back now. Up until this point, he enjoyed the companionship of the women, but his allegiance always rested with the men. He would be the default outsider in a women's alliance, whereas he was at least a legitimate faction of the men. Thus, Kurz knew who his real allies were in this tribe. And he had been waiting for an opportunity to tell them about his shocking discovery yesterday – the same one that he promised Mai he wouldn't tell a soul.

"You're shitting me!" Zolo exclaimed.

"That's what Mai told me last night. And you all know she's like my little espionage on the other side." Kurz sighed again. "We're in deep trouble, you guys."

_**Shannon: **__There's a lot of hostility between the men and the women. And after tribal council, the friction will grow even worse. Quite frankly, I don't care about gender wars, or battle of the sexes, or all that other crap. It's really juvenile in my opinion. Whether a tribe member is male or female has never been an issue for me. I treat them all the same._

The tall swordsman folded his arms across his chest.

_**Shannon: **__There's going to be a bloody battle ahead of us. And the only winners to come out unscathed are the ones who don't get involved. I'll let those boys and girls take out each other until I'm the last one standing in the battlefield._

"Have you actually seen the idol? Mai could be lying to you." Shannon suggested.

"No, I haven't seen it in person, but I don't think she's lying. I can read women pretty well. I'm pretty sure she was being honest at the time." Kurz scratched his head and then sighed for the third time. "She even threatened to vote me out if I dare tell any of you guys about it."

"Weber, that woman is shit." Zolo grunted.

"Yeah, yeah…now I know." Kurz grumbled impatiently. "So what do we do now? We can't vote for Meryl, or one of us will leave instead."

"Easy. We can always change targets." Roy said with his usual coolness. "We'll vote for either Mai or Orihime tonight. Let's leave Meryl for some other time."

"Then it has to be Mai, because there's no way in hell I'm voting out Orihime." Zolo shook his head.

"Why not Orihime?" Roy asked, although he was simply playing the devil's advocate. He just wanted to hear what the other men thought of the redhead, but he had no intention of voting her out at this stage of the game.

"Because she won us the last immunity challenge. She sacrificed herself for us, and I'm _not _going to look like an ungrateful bastard by voting her out right after." Zolo pounded his chest a few times. "I'm a man of honour."

"I second the Mai vote." Shannon nodded. But of course, he would second any plan that didn't involve voting Orihime out.

"And I third it." Kurz said, much to the surprise of some other men. They tossed him a few odd looks, which the blonde pilot just shrugged off. "Don't look at me like that! All is fair in love and war."

"That's cold." Zolo smirked.

"Better her than me." Kurz closed his eyes and sighed. "I mean, I won't enjoy writing her name down, but she left me with no other choice. She practically forced me to do this."

_**Roy: **__When Kurz agreed to vote Mai out, it revealed a lot about Kurz's character to me. May be I gave the guy too much credit, because I expected him to put up a fight and sway our minds. But he betrayed his woman without hesitation. Even Winston didn't betray Julia until the rats came out. The only rat in our tribe is Kurz Weber, who'll backstab anyone when the situation calls for it._

The one-eyed colonel wore a pensive expression on his face.

_**Roy: **__If Kurz is willing to turn against Mai this easily, I wonder how loyal he is to me?_

While the other men were discussing about the vote, Roy was doing some thinking of his own. If there was one particular thing the colonel liked about his mind, it was the fact that he was able to see the 'bigger picture'. He always saw the game a few steps ahead, whereas his allies and his enemies only concentrated on their current surroundings, like this upcoming tribal council. But in Roy's mind, escaping one tribal council was not enough. If he wanted to go far in _Survivor_, he had to ensure he was safe for at least the next few votes. And right now, he didn't have that guarantee.

"We can't change the vote forever, you know. Fine, we vote out Mai tonight…but what happens if we lose the next immunity challenge?" Roy asked. "Think long-term, gentlemen. We can't let Meryl get by every tribal council just because she has the idol."

"But she's set on voting out a guy." Kurz groaned. As an afterthought, he added, "And I'm her public enemy number one. Meryl seems to have a vendetta against me for no reason."

"That's understandable. You're a really annoying guy." Zolo smirked. "But you're also harmless, so that makes you the women's friend. You've got nothing to worry about. They'll go after me first."

"What makes you so sure?" Kurz asked.

"Just look at me, Weber. Do I look like an easygoing guy? There's a reason why these women barely talk to me. Or in Mai's case, she gives me a _shit_load of attitude." Zolo's smirk grew even wider, almost as if he enjoyed what he was saying. "They're intimidated by me."

"Ah, you're more observant than you appear." Roy smiled.

"What you meant to say was…I'm not as dense as I look." Zolo grinned.

"That doesn't solve our problem though." Shannon grumbled, "What are we going to do with Meryl and the idol?"

"We can always try _tricking _Meryl into voting Mai out." Roy suggested.

"Hey, that could actually work…" Kurz's face lit up with a dash of hope.

"No, it wouldn't." Shannon interrupted abruptly. "She's a very clever woman. She'd never fall for something stupid like that."

"They're really tight. There's no way they'd betray each other for one of us." Zolo added.

"Or we can force Meryl to give the idol to another woman…_if _she thinks that person is in more danger than her. Say Orihime, for example. We'll spread rumours that Orihime is leaving and that forces Meryl to give up the idol." Roy explained, "Then, we'll vote Meryl out when she least expects it – without any idol and without any idea."

"That sounds pretty sweet!" Kurz laughed. He slapped Roy on the shoulder a few times. "You're a genius!"

"No, the women won't believe us." Shannon said, sounding even more cynical than before. "Besides, what happens if Meryl becomes selfish and _doesn't _give up the idol? We can't predict what she thinks. One wrong calculation can change everything."

"Arrgh, this is doing my head in!" Zolo smacked his forehead out of frustration. "It's so damn confusing!"

"May be it's best if we just vote out Mai tonight. Let's keep it simple." Kurz sighed.

"Yeah. Vote out Mai tonight and worry the rest tomorrow." Zolo agreed. "These plans to get rid of the idol will backfire in our faces. Because when you think too much, something shitty always happens."

_**Kurz: **__So, it's settled. I'm voting out Mai tonight. The moment that she told me about the idol, I knew I couldn't align with the women. They did exactly what I thought they'd do – they threatened me to vote with them, or else. I mean, I'm not a puppy. And I'm not going to play the rest of my game obeying their orders. The ladies have too much power right now, and they need to be overthrown._

He flashed a sad smile at the camera.

_**Kurz: **__I'm not happy that Mai is leaving tonight. From the bottom of my heart, I think she's a lovely and attractive woman. I really do. But in this game, lovers have no mercy. She shouldn't have told me her secret. She shouldn't have expected me to play right into her hands. Mai, unfortunately, thought she could dominate me in our relationship. But tonight, I'm going to show her why I prefer to be a bachelor._

- - -

Everyone in Tsunade thought they had tribal council all planned out, but one man set out on a different agenda of his own. He let his tribe members do the scheming, plotting, and strategizing without worry. In the end, he knew all but one of their attempts would turn into timely failures. Where he really shined was when he manoeuvred his way behind their backs, subtly changing the outcome of the vote without attracting any unnecessary attention onto himself. He was the quiet, undercover threat that they never saw coming. This one man was Roy Mustang.

"Mind if we have a small chat?" Roy asked.

"Hmm. Would I, handsome?" Mai teased the colonel with a sly smile.

Mai wasn't too surprised that the colonel approached her in private, just several hours before they had vote. She always perceived Roy as a charmer and a politician rolled into one. So, there was no way he'd go to tribal council without knowing where everyone stood on the issue, relevant or not.

"Do you know who you're voting for tonight?" Roy asked.

"Kurz told me that you guys are voting Meryl out." Mai paused for a long moment before continuing with a lie. "I'll be doing the same."

"But plans have changed," said Roy.

"Is that so?" Mai raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're not voting out Meryl anymore?"

"Meryl has the hidden immunity idol. We can't possibly vote for her tonight." Roy sighed.

"How did you know?" Mai suddenly lowered her voice into an anxious whisper. "Nobody was supposed to know that!"

"Somebody can't keep a secret." Roy flashed a vague smile at Mai, which frustrated the blonde even more. "I wonder _who_ could have told me."

"Shit. He squeaked." Mai muttered, angrily forming a fist with her right hand. "Shit!"

"I'll let you know one more thing. The guys aren't voting out Orihime tonight," said Roy.

Sometimes, the words that weren't said out loud delivered the loudest resonance. Roy did not explain the full story, yet his implications were enough for Mai to draw her own conclusions. The pieces were slowly coming together, and she knew what message the colonel was trying to tell her.

"I know you're a smart woman, Mai. You should know what to do with this information." Roy continued, "Don't disappoint me."

"Wait, are you voting with me? Is that why you're telling me this? Are you voting with the girls?" Mai asked.

"A magician never reveals his secret." Roy laughed. And he walked away from Mai, leaving her in a muddled state of speechlessness and confusion.

Mai needed a few minutes to recover, soothe her nerves, and clearly think over what Roy had just told her. The fewer words he said, the more scenarios she imagined. It didn't take long before she figured everything out. And now, there was some _girl talk _she had to do, just several hours before the vote.

_**Roy: **__The other guys want to vote out Mai, but that doesn't benefit me in the long term. First and foremost, I want to get rid of the hidden immunity idol before it causes too much trouble. And while I'm at it, I wouldn't mind eliminating my biggest rival. How I'm achieving these goals might seem a little underhanded, but I can kill two birds with one stone. It's a perfect opportunity and I can't let it get away._

He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

_**Roy: **__I predict some people will be shocked at the outcome tonight. There's going to be a lot of confusion, some misunderstanding, and may be even a little conflict after the vote. That's not my original intention, but I suppose it can't be avoided. _

The colonel paused for a moment, letting his own words sink into his head. He then flashed a tiny confident smile at the camera.

_**Roy: **__I don't want to start a war._

But that was exactly what he did.

- - -

Zolo was not a thinker. He often did not think before he spoke, did not think before he acted, and did not think much about anything in general. He was not a particularly complex person, but that didn't mean he lacked depth or perception. On the contrary, Zolo was quite observant when he wanted to be. He knew he might receive some votes tonight. He even knew he might be taken out by the hidden immunity idol tonight. Despite all that, Zolo still had no fears about tribal council. Whatever logical observations he made about his situation had been usurped by mostly his ego and gut instinct. Call him stupid, call him cocky, but Zolo did not _believe _for a second he would be going home tonight.

_No way. Not tonight. _Zolo smirked as he glanced over at Meryl, who did not return his gaze. _I'm not going tonight._

"Tsunade, we meet again in tribal council." Iruka said with a quiet smile. "No surprise, considering how horrible you did at the last immunity challenge. What happened there, Orihime?"

"I think we lack communication and teamwork. Without those two fundamental traits, the tribe just falls apart at its seams." Orihime replied, "The last challenge shows that we don't really talk to each other about our problems. And we hardly do anything as a team. Like, it's our ninth day here and we still haven't built a shelter together."

"Everyone keeps talking about the shelter, but nobody actually does anything about it. I can't do it all by myself." Shannon added.

"Our tribe sucks." Kurz joked.

"Do you think your problems originate from the fact that Tsunade doesn't have an obvious leader?" Iruka asked. "Or am I wrong? Is there a leader here?"

"Well, Zolo thinks he is a leader…" Mai muttered.

"Speak up, woman. What do you mean by that?" Zolo glared.

"Don't call me _woman_. It's so disrespectful. I have a name. It's Mai Valentine. Learn it." Mai rolled her eyes. "See what I mean, Iruka? Zolo is the leader of the _sexist _alliance in this tribe."

"Hold on! What the hell are you yammering about!?" Zolo shouted.

"Don't raise your voice at me. I've a right to voice my opinion here in tribal council." Mai rolled her eyes again. "Can't we have a civilized conversation without you yelling like a lunatic?"

"I'm not going to sit here and let you call me a sexist!" Zolo angrily spat. "Get your facts straight and stop making blind accusations, bitch!"

"Right, so you're not a sexist, but you're free to call me a bitch." Mai used a very sarcastic tone as she spoke. "Hmm…do I sense a bit of a contradiction here?"

"That's because you are one." Zolo scoffed.

"I think Zolo has a problem with female authority." Mai snapped.

"Stop patronizing me!" Zolo yelled.

"Everyone, please! Please stop arguing!" Orihime suddenly shouted. She clapped her hands a few times in hopes of interrupting the bickering. "This is what I mean when I say there's no communication! It's going to be the last night for one of us. Can't we end tribal council on a happy note?"

"You still haven't answered my question. Is there a leader in this tribe?" Iruka asked.

"No, we don't. That…that's why we're falling apart. We're not really a tribe. We're just a group of seven individuals living in the same camp." Orihime frowned a little. "Until we learn to get along, Tsunade will never be intact."

"Last question. Do you think you need a leader in this tribe?" Iruka asked.

"No." Zolo and Mai both replied in unison.

"That's a very telling answer. Okay, it's time to vote." Iruka nodded his head a few times before gesturing his hand towards the pirate hunter. "Zolo, you're up first."

Zolo was not a thinker. He often did not think before he spoke, did not think before he acted, and did not think much about anything in general. But all he could think right now, as he approached nearer to the voting shrine, was how grateful he would be when Mai Valentine left this game later tonight. He couldn't wait to see the expression on her face.

- - -

Mai was the last person to vote for the night. After voting, she returned to her seat with a huge devastated sigh, even though she received encouraging nods from Meryl and Orihime. The blonde sighed again, wondering if she cast the right vote tonight. The brief chat with Roy Mustang did affect her ultimate decision, and she hoped that she made a wise judgment call tonight. For the sake of keeping the women unified, Mai didn't care whose feelings she had to trample. As long as the three of them can survive this tribal council, any sacrifices will be worth it in the long run.

"Once the votes have been read, the person voted out will be asked to leave tribal council area immediately." Iruka said solemnly. "I'll now read the votes."

The host reached his arm inside the voting urn and pulled out the first parchment. He unfolded the vote and then flipped it over.

"Mai."

An apprehensive Meryl glanced over at Mai for her reaction, but the blonde remained surprisingly calm despite seeing her name appear on the parchment.

"Mai."

She nodded her head, still maintaining a calm composure. Mai couldn't say if she truly expected to see her name appear tonight, but she knew she definitely wasn't happy. Two people had cast their votes against her, and possibly even more.

"Mai." Iruka said after reading out the third vote. "That's three votes for Mai."

Kurz recognized his own handwriting on the parchment, but he quickly looked down due to shame. He had made a promise to vote _with _Mai, but he ended up voting _against _her tonight.

Even though he couldn't muster the strength to laugh, Kurz still somehow found the irony very amusing.

"The fourth vote…" Iruka flipped over the next parchment, which contained a different name from the previous ones. "Kurz."

The blonde pilot did a double take as he reread his name on the parchment. He nervously glanced over at the men, who looked equally shocked, but Kurz didn't know how good at acting they were. He then shifted his attention towards the women, who looked so calm and composed that he knew they were instantly guilty.

"Kurz."

Kurz naively thought that his connection with Mai would prevent his name from showing up at this tribal council. He just assumed that the women would target Zolo, especially after how Mai made a complete fool out of him before the voting. But the name in front of him didn't lie. It didn't spell out Zolo's name as Kurz thought they would.

For some odd reason, they were voting against him instead.

"Kurz." Iruka said, "That's three votes for Mai and three votes for Kurz. One vote left."

Mai and Kurz exchanged hostile glances with each other, but neither of them said anything. They could have been lovers. They could have been friends. But these two ended up being each other's enemies at different sides of the war. Mai turned away from the pilot in a rather indignant manner, focusing her attention back on the vote. Kurz, on the other hand, was far too shocked and upset to know what to expect from the outcome.

He just closed his eyes and hoped for the best. He didn't want to see his name appear on the parchment again.

"The third person voted out of _Survivor: Dewford Islands_," Iruka revealed the seventh and final vote, which inevitably contained a man's handwriting. "Mai."

"Very well." Mai nodded her head to herself.

"Mai, do you have the hidden immunity idol?" Iruka asked.

Orihime and Meryl glanced at her.

Mai glanced back at them.

And then she smiled – a defiant smile.

"Yes, I do." Mai stood up as she pulled out an amulet from her pocket. She dangled it in front of her tribe to see, and then she handed it over to Iruka. "I have the hidden immunity idol."

Kurz sat frozen on his spot, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. It was like a train that he didn't see coming at first, but now it was racing towards him with nowhere to hide. Hiding was all Kurz wanted to do right now. He wanted to hide away from what was about to happen next.

"In that case, all votes cast against Mai tonight do not count. She is immune in this tribal council." Iruka said, putting four of the parchments back into the voting urn.

The three women beamed joyously at each other.

"Let me revise my statement. The third person voted out of _Survivor: Dewford Islands_…" Iruka cleared his throat once before he said the name. "Kurz. Please bring me your torch."

Still in a state of shock, Kurz staggered out of his seat and grabbed his torch from behind. He didn't make eye contact with anybody except Mai, who just grinned and waved him a farewell. The blonde pilot made a disgusted face before he stepped in front of Iruka and presented the host with his torch.

"Kurz, the tribe has spoken." Iruka snuffed out the torch. "It's time for you to go."

For a moment, it looked like Kurz opened his mouth to make a final remark, but he closed it afterwards, not wanting to make an ass out of himself. He just smiled at his tribe members and turned away. He departed on the walk of shame, soon disappearing from sight forever.

"It has been a very surprising tribal council, at least from my perspective." Iruka smiled at the remaining six players. "However, I'm sure some of you had orchestrated this from the beginning. All I can say is…well played. You may head back to camp, Tsunade. Good night."

Shannon and Zolo quietly took their leave, not causing any ruckus or commotion as they returned to camp. They were definitely shocked at the outcome tonight, but they were just content that they weren't the unlucky recipient of those three votes and that deadly hidden immunity idol. The women must have pulled the wool over their eyes just when they least expected it. The two swordsmen didn't understand how the women knew about their plans, nor did they understand why Meryl offered her idol to Mai at the very last minute. There was too much happening at once for it to be coincidental. Whatever happened tonight was purely intentional.

Time will only tell whether or not Shannon and Zolo will figure out the truth. But Kurz Weber, who just got voted out, now realized the fundamental mistake that led to his ouster. He was taken out by a highly intelligent threat that managed to eliminate the hidden immunity idol and Kurz Weber in one go. And it was this very dangerous threat that Kurz wished he could warn Shannon and Zolo about if he was still in the game.

All along, the blonde pilot thought he was fighting just one war. The women might have been his enemies, but they weren't the only ones, nor were they the most dangerous ones. It wasn't until Kurz was voted out that he finally realized the horrible truth:

The real enemy was Roy Mustang.

- - -

_**Kurz's Final Words**_

No hard feelings. You guys got me good, _real _good. I thought I was playing a smart game up until now, but I've made some pretty stupid mistakes that led me to where I am right – the bin. Mai, I'm a little hurt that you betrayed me, but it's not like I didn't do the same to you. And I can't say that you didn't warn me. After all, you did say that you were a very intelligent woman. Not only are you intelligent, but you're one sexy son of a bitch. You go, girl! I'm rooting for you and the other hot women all the way!

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**Two enemies make an unlikely reconciliation…**  
_Asuka: You and me._  
_Bulma: It's for the best._  
(Bulma and Asuka shake hands.)

**A shocking twist shakes up the tribe dynamics…**  
_Iruka: You'v__e thirty seconds to decide._  
(Holland is seen writing something on his chalkboard. He smiles.)  
_Iruka: Drop your buffs._

**And Asuka finds danger lurking in the forest…**  
_Guy__: Watch out! Run! Run for you life!_  
(Asuka, visibly startled, turns around and widens her eyes in surprise.)  
_Asuka: N…no. No!_

_**All this and more on - Episode 4: Death of a Valentine**_

- - -

**Author's Notes:** Sorry for the long wait. Once again, thanks for all the reviews (just one for Episode 2, to be precise) and survey entries. I'd appreciate it if you take the survey again in Episode 3. The results to the past two surveys are now up on the website. Enjoy!


	4. Episode 4: Death of a Valentine

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Jiraiya won flint at the auction and solved the problem with their limited water supply. However, Asuka's problems continued when she failed to__ find the hidden immunity idol. Surprisingly, Guy promised her safety at the next tribal council in hopes of including her in the tribe. Meanwhile, Mai joined the women's alliance and soon discovered that Meryl carried the hidden immunity idol. This was later discovered by the men as well. Using the knowledge, Roy made a deliberate plot to eliminate the idol as well as his rival Kurz. Although Mai received four votes in tribal council, she surprised the men by playing the hidden immunity idol, thus sending Kurz home with just three votes._

_Thirteen castaways remain. Who will be voted off next?_

**Episode Four: Death of a Valentine**

Jiraiya Tribe** : Asuka**_(Neon Genesis Evangelion)_, **Bulma**_(Dragonball Z)_,** Faye**_(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Guy**_(Naruto)_, **Harley**_(Pokemon)_, **Holland**_(Eureka Seven)_, **Kari **_(Digimon)_

Tsunade Tribe**: Mai**_(Yu-gi-oh)_, **Meryl**_(Trigun)_, **Orihime **_(Bleach)_, **Roy**_(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon**_(Scrapped Princess)_, **Zolo**_(One Piece)_

- - -

**DAY 10**

_Every single man in Tsunade i__s a liar._

This was not merely an observation or a speculation, but an established fact for Mai Valentine by the time she cast a vote against her ex-boyfriend last night. She figured that if one of them was a backstabber, then naturally they all fit into the same dirty mould. Birds of a feather flock together, not to mention the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Whichever proverb she used to relate her battered 'break-up' with Kurz, the message was still the same. And at the last tribal council, Mai promised herself then and there that she was done with men for good…or at least for the remainder of this game.

But unfortunately, or perhaps it was the other way around, Tsunade was stocked with an abundant supply of good looking men. Despite her recent resolutions to quit associating with men, Mai quickly found herself succumbing to temptation. It began this morning when she woke up to the pleasant sight of Roy and Shannon half-naked, having returned from the waterfall after a morning bathe (Orihime and Meryl also accompanied the men on this excursion, but they were the trivial third wheels as far as Mai was concerned). Then, Mai caught Zolo in the middle of his vigorous workout regime, which contained him doing various exercises with his shirt off, displaying that ultra-ripped body many women lust after. Suddenly, what happened with Kurz seemed like a distant memory amongst all these buff, nearly naked men.

Now that Mai had committed herself to an alliance with the ladies, there was no turning back. She drew the battle line and she declared who her enemies were. Mai couldn't align with the men anymore, no matter how appealing she found them. She might as well view them as her enemies in the worst possible light, or simplify them as sexual objects for her own visual pleasure.

_**Mai:**__May be the whole Survivor experience made my hormones more…uh…erratic than usual, but I'm missing Kurz's presence quite a lot. I didn't realize what an impact he left on me in the last nine days. Now that he's gone, I'm feeling kind of empty inside. It's actually a little unsettling for me, because I didn't think of him as boyfriend material in the first place._

She paused for a moment, pondering all her memories with Kurz Weber in her _Survivor _adventure. No longer could she sniff that masculine scent from his body, like the mixture of aftershave and deodorant on a man. No longer could she feel his burly arms around her, the intimacy of his body pressing against her own. No longer could she touch his soft luscious lips, which she regretted not kissing more often…

Mai let her thoughts trail off for a moment because she realized she had gone off on an unexpected tangent. Mai quickly gained back her composure and continued her confessional.

_**Mai: **__I guess I'm not as strong as I thought I was, falling for that man and developing actual feelings for him. Even after he made such a blatant betrayal, I can't believe I still feel anything for him. It's so ridiculous. No, I must forget him. I must move on._

As much as Mai would hate to admit this, she truly missed the blonde pilot. Her lust over the other men was really a substitute for what she had found and lost in Kurz Weber – male companionship. The adrenaline from tribal council was gone last night and Mai now suffered from a small tinge of the survivor guilt. She was of course delighted about the women's victory, even though it took some delicate persuading on her part to convince Meryl to surrender the immunity idol. Things worked out in their favour in the end, but it wasn't easy for Mai to betray her boyfriend on a whim. Her actions almost felt justified to a certain degree, since Kurz was the one who betrayed her first.

However, Mai was only human, no matter how strong she might seem on the surface. Even she showed a vulnerable side from time to time.

"God, I need a smoke." Mai muttered to herself. All these thoughts of men were doing her head in. For someone who sworn off the male species, she sure liked to think about them a lot.

"Excuse me?" Orihime asked, perking her head up in polite surprise.

"I said I need to cook." Mai lied. She often forgot that Orihime was still a teenager, thus she, in Mai's opinion, should be protected from learning the many sins of life. "Cook lunch, I mean. We need to cook lunch before the guys come back."

"That's a good idea. We need to keep feeding them so they're strong and healthy for the challenges," said Meryl.

"Are you sure that's what you said, because I heard something else…" Orihime mumbled with uncertainty. She paused for a moment and studied Mai's expression. "Are you feeling okay? Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine! Let's cook lunch now!" Mai feigned an enthusiastic voice.

"Okay, but let me just do one thing first." Orihime approached Mai from behind and embraced her in a gentle, platonic hug. This gesture lasted for a few seconds before the redhead pulled away. "You look like you needed a hug."

Mai seemed a little bewildered at first, but her expression soon softened until a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine." Mai paused, drawing a soft sigh to herself. She then caressed the teenager's left cheek with her hand. "You're a good girl, Orihime. Sometimes, I think you're like the untainted angel of Tsunade."

"I'm not an angel! I've a deceptive side too. I…I can be very, very sneaky!" Orihime argued.

"Yeah, sure." Meryl teased. "What's the sneakiest thing you've done in the game so far?"

"Errm…aligning with you two." Orihime admitted with a sheepish smile, causing the other two women to laugh in unison.

"You're right. That is a very sneaky thing to do!" Mai grinned.

"But I don't regret a single moment of it." Orihime added with a casual laugh. She pumped her fist enthusiastically in the air. "Go Vixens!"

_**Mai: **__Everyone in this tribe sees Orihime as their little sister. I'm just the same. There's something very innocent and vulnerable about her…it's hard to explain. I feel like it's my duty to look out for her, even though she's perfectly capable of protecting herself. For that reason alone, Orihime is going to last very long in this game. And rightfully so. She's a great girl. She deserves to make it far._

"All kidding aside, I think we should start talking about our next move. What do we do next?" Meryl asked.

"We need to watch out for Roy. His stunt at the last tribal council was a brilliant one and it proved to us what type of man he is – a dangerous one. We all played right into his hand." Mai lowered her voice to a discreet whisper even though none of the men were present.

"He's a very intelligent man." Orihime agreed.

"He's also a _snake_." Mai couldn't help but smirk at her own snide remark. "But still, he's our best bet if we attend another tribal council. Do you understand where I'm coming from? We can avoid a tiebreaker if we persuade Roy to vote with us. Once we separate him from the boys, we Vixens are golden."

"That means Roy has all the deciding power." Orihime murmured. "He gets to choose whether we stay intact or not. So, we're doing exactly what he wants…"

"We don't have a lot of alternatives." Meryl shook her head. "There's no way Zolo will ever vote with a woman, period. And Shannon, well…I don't know what he's thinking half the time. You know him better than we do. Is there any chance he'll vote with us?"

"I doubt it. He's a very loyal person," said Orihime.

"You do know that guy has a soft spot for you, right? If you turn on your womanly charms and press all his right buttons, I bet he'll do your bidding." Mai gave a playful wink at the blushing redhead.

"I…I don't want to manipulate Shannon for his vote." Orihime shook her head.

"You might have to do it for our survival, especially if we can't sway Roy. Shannon is literally our plan B." Mai sighed desperately. "You understand that if we don't get a man on our side, it could mean the end of a Vixen. The next one out could be me, could be you, or it could be Meryl."

"Yeah, I know." Orihime nodded.

"I don't want to change the way you are, Orihime. But here's a little advice from woman to woman – sometimes, you have to play selfish. You can't win this game with that altruistic rubbish you like to do. You need to be cutthroat and you need to be competitive." The blonde put her arm around Orihime's shoulder and grinned. "In this game, selfishness is a virtue."

_**Orihime: **__Plotting, lying, and backstabbing. The game is getting nastier each day. I don't enjoy this aspect one bit, because those are things I don't do in real life. But sooner or later, you have to draw the line at some point. As much as I like everyone in this tribe, they're also my competitors. I have to vote them out. That's the nature of this game. Sometimes, I may have to do things that I don't…necessarily like in order to get what I want. I know…I'm a detestable girl. _

The redhead teenager shot a determined glare at the camera.

_**Orihime: **__But nice people don't win Survivor. Smart people do._

- - -

This morning, Bulma sat inside the shelter and watched.

She was not watching anybody in particular, but merely observing her tribe members doing their normal, everyday, mundane activities around camp. There was Guy, Holland, and Kari seated around the campfire, chatting and laughing like they were old friends exchanging stories. There was Faye and Harley sharing a hammock together, which had been popular with both of them ever since Bulma installed it a day ago. The pair was also engrossed in a conversation, probably doing some gossiping of some sort. Bulma could not see Asuka anywhere in the campsite, but she was probably off by herself again, doing who knows what in the forest.

And then, there was Bulma inside the shelter, watching everyone else. She was alone.

It didn't take a genius like her to figure out that there was something seriously wrong with this picture. Guy, Holland, and Kari formed a tight trio. Harley and Faye made a close pair. Bulma had herself, and only herself in this tribe. Like the neglected child of Jiraiya, she did not have any allies, any friends, or any companions that she could depend upon. She was always on the outside, looking in. And what was she looking at anyway, other than a group of people whom was only associated with her due to their tribal lines. There were five people who had each other, and then, there was Bulma, who had no one.

Sometimes, Bulma wondered if anyone in Jiraiya will miss her if she was gone.

One could not remain introspective for too long, and for a vigorous woman like Bulma, she was not the type who will cry over her problems without doing anything to fix them. She might be in the outs of this tribe at the moment, but she did not intend to stay isolated for long. Sooner or later, she will worm herself into the power core and somehow integrate with the majority. It was only a matter of time and opportunity.

And here was an opportunity right before her eyes! Holland and Kari just got up from their seats and walked away from the campfire, probably to check if there was any treemail for the day. Guy stayed behind to watch the fire by himself. Bulma smiled and climbed out of the shelter, knowing exactly what she should do. This was the _time_ to create an _opportunity_ for herself.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Guy exclaimed in his usual chipper voice when he spotted Bulma approaching him. He instantly invited her to a seat beside him. "How are you enjoying Konoha this morning, my friend?"

"I feel happy to be alive! Hear me roar!" Bulma laughed. Guy's constant energy was always infectious.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Guy asked.

"Well, I was wondering if you know where Harley was." Bulma smiled innocently at the ninja. "I'm looking for him."

"Oh, good question! I wonder where he is." Guy turned his head around and browsed for the Pokemon Coordinator. "Ah, there! He's in the hammock…predictably."

"Really? Is he there again? I always seem to see him there." Bulma pretended to be surprised.

"Tell me about it. Harley is always just lying around, either sleeping or eating our food." Guy sighed, as if it was a fact that he could not change. "Let me tell you, he'll regret it. The gods of Konoha frown upon sloth!"

"I wonder what he's going to do for the day." Bulma prodded.

"Absolutely nothing." Guy chuckled.

"Well, that won't do!" Bulma put her arms on her hips and faked annoyance. "There's a lot of work around camp! He should help out at least! He can't expect us to carry him around the tribe like that! Some people are so _ungrateful_, you know?"

"I'm glad I'm not alone on that thought." Guy smiled, "Bulma, why don't you have a talk with him about this issue? The two of you are friends, right? He might listen to you and have a change of heart. God knows he never listens to me!"

"I will definitely have a talk with him. I'm going right now." Bulma shook her head, acting like she was so devastated and disappointed at Harley. "This behaviour is outrageous! I will not stand for it!"

"Thanks Bulma. You're a trooper!" Guy patted her on the shoulder.

_**Bulma: **__There's some conflict between Harley and Guy in the past few days, so as the resident tribe instigator, I'm here to add more fuel to the fire. I want them at each other's throats as much as possible. So, Guy thinks Harley is lazy? Hey, why don't I reiterate that fact to him over and over again? So, Harley thinks Guy is a pain in the ass? Why don't I rile him up and get his rage rolling? Oh, don't mind me! I'm just the pot stirrer! Focus on each other, not me!_

She rubbed her hands together in glee. She loved when a plan of hers came together so perfectly.

_**Bulma: **__As long as there's tension at Jiraiya, there's still hope for me in the horizon. As long as I keep this up, I don't think I'll be on the chopping block anymore._

And off Bulma went, strutting her hips all the way to the hammock, where Faye and Harley were currently resting. Their ongoing conversation stopped when she approached them, as expected, since she was still an intruder to their tight little twosome. Bulma might be "friends" with Harley and acquaintances with Faye, but neither of them trusted her enough to confide their secrets to her. That was fine with Bulma, who put on an air of friendliness for the two of them. In return, Harley blew her an air kiss.

"Hey bitch, what's the news?" Harley asked in a casual manner.

"I just had a very _interesting _talk with Guy. I thought you would like to know," said Bulma. She plopped herself on the ground next to the hammock, so she can have a direct conversation with the Pokemon Coordinator.

"Oh, do tell!" Harley raised his eyebrows, although his expression remained unfazed, almost like the look of a person who already knew the response. "Was he rambling about work ethics and Konoha spirits for the millionth time?"

"You know it. I could only talk with him for a few minutes before walking away. He's _so _obnoxious!" Bulma made a face.

"You poor thing." Harley flashed an expression of empathy. "So, what did he say?"

"He was like, Faye and Harley only lie in the hammock all day and do nothing else!" Bulma said, moving her hands around while she spoke. "All they do is sleep and eat, and blah blah blah! You know the drill."

"How dare he? Who does he think he is?" Harley stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"He fancies himself as a god around the tribe." Faye muttered.

"Oh please, we all know he's just Holland's little bitch!" Harley scoffed. The Pokemon Coordinator sat up and turned around, shooting an annoyed glare at the oblivious Jonin. "What an asshole. I'm _this _close to going off on him, I swear!"

"Now, now. Patience is a virtue." Bulma smiled at him.

"He just frustrates me so much. I don't want to see his face anymore. You know, I practically go out of my way to avoid him if I can." Harley sighed.

"Yeah, I know." Bulma chuckled, as if she totally understood where Harley was coming from. And she did understand, although she didn't quite mean her words. "Anyway, I'm going to take a breather. I'll be back to talk to you bitches later."

"Okay. See you soon, girl!" Harley giggled.

Faye, who had little to say in Bulma's presence, waited for the inventor to get up and leave the proximity. As soon as Bulma was out of their eyeshot and earshot, the bounty huntress turned towards Harley and practically exploded with words.

"See, that's why I don't want Bulma in our alliance. I don't trust that woman one bit," whispered Faye.

"Why? I like her though." Harley sighed in disappointment.

"I wouldn't trust her too much if I were you." Faye wore a self-content look on her face. "Bulma is stirring the pot like crazy. One minute she's talking about us with Guy, and the next she's acting all chummy with us like we're her best friends. The bitch is playing both you and Guy, but I'm smart enough to catch on."

"Yeah, she's a sneaky one. Thanks, Faye. I'll keep that in mind." Harley nodded.

_**Faye: **__Harley might be friends with Bulma, but I'm not. She's one of my least favourite people here, to be honest. She just talks too much. She opens her mouth and shit sprays in everyone in the face. That big mouth of hers is going to get her in trouble some day._

The bounty huntress lied back and smirked at the camera.

_**Faye: **__Bulma can try all she wants, but I know what she's up to. She's just an amateur. I know, because I've a lot of expertise in stirring the pot, just like her. Except I do it better._

- - -

Ask anyone in Jiraiya who the leader was, and the unanimous answer would be the name of Holland Novak. No questions about it. Since the first day, Holland settled himself in the role of leadership like he was a king approaching his throne. Not that he was an incessantly arrogant person, because he was not, but he did know as the leader that he held a certain influence over the tribe. Because whenever Holland spoke, people listened. Whenever he asked, people answered. Whenever he led, people followed. Holland was the most powerful person in the tribe and he knew it, which also made him very, very dangerous.

Being a leader had its benefits, but it also carried a large share of problems. One, he was a noticeable threat. May be not now, but he was a huge target later in the merge, because let's face it – Holland Novak was certainly going to make the merge at this rate. Unless some catastrophe struck Jiraiya and everyone in his tribe went crazy, he was set to reach the merger and beyond. A new danger surrounded him once Tsunade infiltrated his old tribe, but until that happened, Holland had nothing to worry about except a smaller set of problems currently existing in his tribe.

Many problems, as Holland quickly learned, seemed to begin with the origin of Harley. The lazy, flamboyant, and occasionally catty Pokemon Coordinator was the root of Jiraiya's complaints. Holland personally did not have a problem with Harley, because the Pokemon Coordinator was loyal to him and included Holland in a lot of his strategic plans. But Harley was still a problem, and Might Guy made sure that Holland never forgets about this fact. Guy constantly brought up the issue of work ethics, an area in which Harley was severely lacking. And whenever there was a complaint, it was Holland's job as leader to address it. So, that was why he called for a tribe meeting in the afternoon today, because it was time to weed out the slackers in Jiraiya.

"I gather you here today to discuss about camp chores." Holland began, but then stopped when he noticed the absence of one particular tribe member. "Hold on, where is Asuka?"

"She didn't come, obviously." Faye replied.

"Fine as it is. We'll begin the meeting without her." Holland said, sounding a little snubbed. "Lately, a few of you approached me about how some people are working more than others. This is a problem that I have witnessed as well."

A few people nodded in sync to what Holland was saying, while some guilty others remained quiet but annoyed.

"Well, not anymore. That's all going to change today," said Holland.

"Brilliant!" Guy exclaimed.

Rolling his eyes, Harley shot a piercing glare at the back of the Jonin's head. If only looks could kill.

"I'm going to assign specific jobs to each tribe member, so everyone knows what guidelines they have to follow." Holland said, then began gesturing his hand to various tribe members. "Kari, you're in charge of cooking the meals. Bulma is responsible for boiling the water and camp maintenance. Guy and I will take care of collecting fire wood, as well as hunting for food in the forest."

Holland paused before he turned towards Harley and Faye, who he had not addressed yet.

"And finally, Harley and Faye…you two will do all the cleaning. That includes washing all the dishes _and _the clothes too."

"Oh goody, clean clothes." Bulma smiled, clapping her hands.

_**Bulma: **__We only have a few changes of clothes out here, so it's really easy to get them dirty. The problem is that nobody washes them on a regular basis…or at all, actually. We're stuck wearing the same clothes on our backs…and seriously, I'm getting really pissed off about it. Not only is this a major fashion faux pas, but some of the clothes are starting to reek. Na-sty!_

She shuddered to emphasize the point that she was making.

_**Bulma: **__I don't mind doing the laundry, but then I asked myself…why should I? I didn't sign up here to mother a tribe of children. And then I told myself: Bulma, girl, let these people wash their own clothes! Because last time I check, I'm not the cleaning lady!_

"Why did we get the worst job?" Harley made a face at the announcement, clearly not impressed with his new task.

"Everyone else is working, so that's why I delegated the task to you two." Holland narrowed his eyes at the Pokemon Coordinator. "I don't show bias or favouritism, if that's what you're trying to imply."

"Well, if that's the case, then why didn't Asuka get anything to do?" Faye asked.

"I'll give Asuka something to do when I actually _see _her in person, wherever she is." Holland grumbled, sounding annoyed at her absence. "But Asuka made it very clear she has no interest in contributing to the tribe anyway. We shouldn't include her as part of Jiraiya."

"What a load of crock. Asuka shouldn't get a free pass just because she's not a team player." Faye muttered, rolling her eyes. "Next time, I won't show up to these meetings because that's the best way to avoid work."

"Now, now…play nice, everyone." Guy clapped his hands together, oblivious to the fact that Faye and Harley shot him annoyed glances. "I don't think you two should be worried about Asuka's work ethics when you have your own to worry about."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Faye snapped.

"That's up to your interpretation." Guy replied in a calm manner. "But I'll leave you with one piece of advice – the answer lies within your conscience."

_**Harley: **__Every single time Guy opens his mouth, he goes on an endless spiel about work ethics this or work ethics that, and I'm like rolling my eyes to the back of my head. I'm absolutely fed up with that man and his obnoxious behaviour in the tribe. He's always talking down at me in that patronizing manner. You know the one. Oh my god, I've never ever met a more condescending person in my life than Guy. I'm not even joking. He shits me so much! _

He screamed out in anguish before continuing his confessional.

_**Harley: **__You know what my major beef with Guy is? He has no tact whatsoever. That man has no social game and no self-awareness. I don't care if he's a god in challenges or a workhorse at camp. I can't stand him and that's that! _

A while later after the meeting, Harley and Faye were left alone with a pile of dirty laundry that needed to be washed. There was no point of arguing or resisting over the chore allocation, since Faye figured there'd be no resolution anyhow. So, she and Harley agreed to do as they were told, reluctant as the Pokemon Coordinator was at first. The others were happy with their response and let them be on their own. Little did they know that the troublesome pair had another plan in mind.

"I'm not washing all these clothes. It's too much!" Harley whispered to Faye, while she cast him an understanding glance.

"Then don't. Let's not wash them. They'll never know." Faye murmured.

"What's your big idea?" Harley raised his eyebrows with curiosity.

"We pretend that we cleaned all the laundry…" Faye paused, letting a small smirk spread across her face. "When in reality, we only wash our own."

"Ooh, that's scandalous." Harley snickered.

"They asked for it. Look at who they put in charge of the cleaning." Faye smirked.

"Very true." Harley nodded his head. He gestured his hand at the clothes inside the shelter. "Okay, I adore the idea! Let's just put these on the clothesline and act like they're clean. Everyone is so filthy anyway. It's not like they'll know they're wearing the same clothes for days!"

"What our tribe members don't know won't hurt them." Faye exchanged a high-five with the Pokemon Coordinator. "Evil conquers all, baby."

- - -

Zolo loved being a hero. Not that he was unreasonably arrogant, but he believed a healthy ego needed to be praised every now and then. And today, without a doubt, he was definitely the hero of Tsunade. He was the breadwinner, the man of the hour, or simply the resident _badass_. He became all these things when he returned to camp with a dead boar over his shoulders, which was dripping with blood, yet still spelled out very obvious and very fulfilling food for the Tsunade tribe. Yes, Zolo was a hero by all means of the word, and surely his tribe members must he appreciative of his hard labour.

"Shannon, you cooked us a fantastic meal tonight. This tastes really, really good!" Meryl laughed after taking a modest portion of the meat.

"You're an amazing chef, Shannon!" Orihime nodded in agreement.

"Good stuff." Roy echoed the sentiments with a thumbs-up gesture.

"Zolo was the one who caught the boar. I only prepared the meal," said Shannon.

An awkward silence followed afterwards, as if nobody knew what to say next. There were several grateful smiles directed to Zolo, but he didn't receive nearly the same amount of compliments showered upon Shannon a few moments ago. For some reason, Shannon was just an _easier _person to thank for the meal than somebody like Zolo.

Zolo didn't mind the lack of appreciation, even though it bruised his ego just a tiny bit. He was not someone who had to flourish in the spotlight, no matter how deserving he was of it. Then again, it was him who spotted the boar, made the kill, and got his hands dirty bringing it back. While Shannon might have cooked an excellent meal, he would have had nothing to cook with if Zolo didn't bring back anything to eat in the first place. Without Zolo, Tsunade would still be stuck eating tedious meals of rice, beans, scraps, and leftovers.

But Zolo didn't mention any of this to his tribe, because he was just not that type of guy.

"Anyway, this boar will last us for a while. We can eat it a day or so before it turns bad." Zolo said, changing the subject at hand. "I'll go hunt another one and-"

Suddenly, Zolo let out aloud loud noisy belch that interrupted the middle of his sentence. Then, ignoring what he just did, Zolo was about to continue speaking when he caught a very dirty look from Mai.

"Oh god, Zolo! Can you not do that during mealtime? Some people are trying to eat here!" Mai stuck her tongue out.

"Do what?" Zolo sounded annoyed and confused at the same time.

"Burping! This isn't the first time you burped in front of us during a meal." Mai shuddered. "I find it a really rude habit. It shows that you've no manners. It's _classless_!"

"And what's so wrong with that?" Zolo asked, perhaps being a little cheeky.

"Can you _be _any more uncouth!?" Mai rolled her eyes. "It's nasty! There're ladies around, you know. Act like a gentleman for once."

"Thank you, Mai. I thought I was the only one who picked up on his bad habits." Meryl turned to the blonde with an appreciative smile. "I've been meaning to say something about it for a long time. It has been bugging me so long!"

"Look. I'm a man, so of course I burp in public.." Zolo grunted.

"And farting too." Meryl added sheepishly. "You tend to pass gas during the night and it's disgusting."

"Fine, what you said. But that's just how I roll. You'll have to take me as I am. I'll have you two know that I don't compromise myself for anyone." Zolo shot his tribe members a very serious glare.

Mai and Meryl exchanged knowing glances with each other. Meryl was just about to say something in rebuttal, but Zolo didn't give her the opportunity.

"Listen to me first. You'll get your chance to speak." Zolo said, while Meryl bit her lips. She was miffed that she couldn't get her word in. "I won't change the way I am, but I'm not a senseless guy. I'll listen to your advice and refrain myself from burping or farting in front of you guys. I'll walk away if I need to do my business. Now, I can't promise it'll happen every single time, but I'll make an effort to keep everyone here happy."

Zolo gave his tribe members a glance, prompting some sort of reaction from some of them.

"I think that's reasonable enough." Mai nodded her head. "I'm satisfied with your solution."

"Thank you, Zolo." Meryl added with a congenial smile.

_**Zolo: **__The women were nagging me about my manners and my etiquettes tonight. I didn't even know you need to have etiquettes when roughing it out in a forest. I'm not here to compete in some beauty pageant, I'm here to compete in Survivor, you know? But whatever. As long as they'll shut up about it. No burping, no farting, no snot rockets, and no cursing. Actually, I'll still curse if I want to, damn it! They can't stop me!_

The pirate had a big frustrated smile plastered on his face.

_**Zolo: **__It's hard to live in Tsunade, because I sometimes forget these people…are not my friends. They're just people I'm stuck here with for thirty nine days. There's this…this pressure to act nice, play friendly, and kiss ass so you can go further in the game. But it's hard for me. I can't change the way I am. My tribe will have to take me as I am, the good and the bad. I am Zolo, deal with it._

"Hey guys, you know what we haven't done so far?" Orihime asked all of a sudden.

"I don't know, but you look like you're dying to tell us," said Roy.

"Stories! It has been ten days and we haven't exchanged any stories yet!" Orihime exclaimed. "Part of camp life is comprised of telling campfire stories to each other! Ghost stories, bedtime stories or…or life stories!"

"I'm not a good storyteller." Meryl admitted.

"It doesn't matter. I just want to know more about you guys! Anything! Let it be family, love life, affairs, scandals, anything!" Orihime chuckled. She gazed over at her somewhat unresponsive tribe. "I can't be the only one who feels this way, right?"

Without Kurz, the chattiest tribe member in Tsunade, this was unfortunately a tribe comprised of fairly quiet and introverted people. Even the louder personalities belonged to people who were more reserved in nature. When nobody replied back to Orihime, she let out a disappointed sigh.

"No one is up for stories?" Orihime scratched her head.

"What is there to talk about?" Shannon asked.

"Let me get the conversations started then." Orihime smiled, turning towards her tribe members with an almost too innocent expression. "Has anyone here ever been pregnant before?"

"Orihime!" Mai burst out in laughter, which was joined by several other tribe members. "Where did that come from!? That's so inappropriate!"

"But aren't you curious?" Orihime asked with a goofy smile.

"If anyone wants to know, I have never been pregnant in my twenty nine years of life." Roy said with a lopsided grin.

"Me neither. Thankfully." Zolo also grinned.

"May be that wasn't the _best _topic to start off with." Orihime gave a sheepish smile, which was met with some chuckles. The camp atmosphere was noticeably less tense than before. "But it's a good icebreaker. It gets us talking. What else do you want to discuss about?"

"I want to hear more from Zolo." Meryl said, while the surprised pirate pointed at himself and mouthed the word 'me'. "Yeah, _you_, mysterious stranger.You don't talk a lot about yourself. I mean, you're a pirate, right? That's kind of interesting."

"I always wanted to be a pirate." Roy pointed at his eye patch jokingly.

"What is there to know about me? I'm a pirate. I do stuff. That's it," said Zolo.

"But there has to be more!" Meryl prompted impatiently. "You're a pirate slash swordsman, Zolo! You don't see one of those everyday! Come on…tell us more about your everyday life."

Zolo thought for a moment and searched his mind for an acceptable response. He was having difficulty of course, since he was not often an intensive thinker.

"I collect booty." Zolo finally said.

"Excuse me?" Mai's head perked up in surprise.

"Booty…as in pirate's treasure." Zolo corrected her.

"Oh. I thought you meant something else." Mai grinned mischievously. "For a moment there, I thought you were getting some _booty_, if you know what I mean."

"Of course you did. Your mind always goes to the gutter, doesn't it?" Zolo teased, causing a few people to laugh, with Mai being one of the loudest.

_**Orihime: **__Today was a wonderful day for Mr. Zolo. I can't recall the last time he has been this friendly to everyone. He was the sort of person who doesn't open up that much, so it was really hard to approach him. But you know, I always suspected he was a big softie inside. Now, I think he's really, really, really, really cool!_

She let out a genuine laugh.

_**Orihime: **__But it's not just him who changed today. I think everyone did. We were all so relaxed and it was like…for a moment there, we forgot we were playing Survivor and we were just six people hanging out. We were getting along for a change! And I think that's peachy, because I really like the whole peace and harmony thing._

The redhead teenager sighed in relief.

_**Orihime:**__ No more arguing, no more hard feelings, no more wars. I hope this marks a new beginning for Tsunade. I hope we can be one unified tribe from now on._

- - -

**DAY 11**

Curiosity killed the cat, but Kari always wondered what was inside the mysterious orange box. Jiraiya won it in the first reward challenge, but they were instructed specifically not to open the box until further instructions on the eleventh day. What Iruka promised was a game-shaking twist. What Kari wished for was the exact opposite, anything that would not secure her current secure position in Jiraiya. The petite DigiDestined had been playing a decent under-the-radar strategy so far, but all that might be about to change today.

Her worst fears arrived today in the form of treemail. Instead of the usual reward challenge, this time it instructed both tribes to arrive with the mysterious boxes they had won in the past. Nothing else was stated, but it was more than obvious what was about to take place.

Kari took a deep breath as she stepped on the orange mat.

It was _time_.

"Good morning. Thanks for bringing your boxes here as instructed." Iruka nodded with approval. "Now, let's be honest. Did anyone try to open the boxes?"

There was some nervous laughter, but no one seemed to own up to their attempts. Finally, Asuka raised up her hand, admitting that she went through a few attempts of unsealing the box.

"What? I was curious." Asuka ignored the amused glances from the other players. "And I'm _honest_."

"Did you succeed?" Iruka asked.

"It was sealed tight. The lock just wouldn't break apart no matter how hard I tried." Asuka grumbled.

"Good. That was our intention." Iruka smiled. "Okay, enough waiting. Let's find out what's inside these mysterious boxes. First, select one representative from your tribe who'll open the box. Remember, that person has the final say in everything that happens today."

"I'll go." Mai volunteered without consulting any of her tribe members. Some of the men looked like they opposed against this decision, but none wanted to make a scene, especially before such an unpredictable twist.

The decision process in Jiraiya was more democratic, but it was no surprise to anyone that Holland was unanimously elected for the role. Thus, Mai and Holland stepped out of their mats, each carrying a box in their hands.

"Here are the keys you need to unlock them." Iruka handed the representatives each a key. "Open the boxes now."

Holland inserted the key inside the lock and turned it once rightwards. He could hear a soft clicking sound, indicating the box had been unlocked. With a small smile, he opened up the box to see the contents inside.

"A buff. A _Jiraiya _buff." Holland told his tribe. He glanced up and saw that Mai removed the same thing from her box, except that she was carrying a green Tsunade buff. "It's an extra buff."

"Correct, Holland. And now, we move on to our twist." Iruka grinned, obviously enjoying every moment of the suspense. "You are to give this buff to one person from the other tribe. That person will become a _new _member of your tribe." A few players responded with gasps, but the host continued with his instructions anyway. "Pick up the chalkboards on the ground and write down the name of the person you want on your tribe. You've thirty seconds to decide."

Wasting no time, Mai picked up her chalkboard and turned to her tribe members for their suggestions. The three men spoke at once, all agreeing that they should choose Guy, the challenge powerhouse, to join their tribe. However, Mai would have none of that, since adding the ninja to Tsunade would mean the men outnumbered the women again.

"He's the strongest person in Jiraiya! They'll fall apart in the challenges without him!" Zolo argued, sounding very persistent in getting his way. "You'd be crazy not to pick him on our tribe!"

"No men." Mai said simply, much to the pirate's chagrin.

"Then how about Faye? She's the best athlete out of the four women." Roy said.

He paused, throwing a brief glance at the sexy bounty huntress. For a second there, Roy had to bite his tongue, just so he wouldn't add that he found Faye to be the most _attractive _female out here, a fact which would not have pleased Mai or the other women very much.

"She looks as tough as nails." Orihime nodded in approval.

"She gets my recommendation too." Shannon added.

Mai bit her lips. She wasn't convinced that she should choose Faye despite the arguments for her. There was just something about the aloof woman that Mai didn't like _or _trust. But time was running out and Tsunade had to make a decision very soon.

"How about Asuka? She looks pretty feisty too." Mai suggested. "And if I recall correctly, she breezed through that puzzle in the first immunity challenge, so she's great at challenges too."

"Yeah, she's smart and everything, but she looks like a real pain in the ass to live with." Zolo muttered.

Mai took his words into consideration and then wrote down a name on the chalkboard. Her tribe members might have offered her some helpful advice, but in the end, it was Mai who made the final decision.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya was also in a heated discussion on whom to add to their tribe. The two names that were mentioned the most were Shannon and Zolo, both of whom were natural athletes and looked as if they were important assets to the Tsunade tribe. Not only would Jiraiya benefit from their youth and strength, but they could also use this opportunity to vote out said person and weaken the other tribe. But of course, Holland knew he'd never choose either of them, since they had the potential to challenge his leadership and possibly even lead a successful rebellion. He would never pick someone whom he deemed as a threat to his authority.

"Thanks for the advice, but I know who I'm going to pick." Holland flashed his tribe members a smile. He quickly scribbled down a name on his chalkboard, seconds before Iruka said that time was up.

"It's time to reveal your decisions," said Iruka.

Asuka glared intensely at Mai's chalkboard, praying that it had her name written down. This was her one and only chance to exit Jiraiya and avoid her inevitable doom. She longed to be in Tsunade, where she could make new beginnings, make new allies, and make a new destiny for herself.

_It has to be my name. There's no other way, it needs to be me. They must pick me. _Asuka thought nervously to herself. _If they don't choose me, I'm screwed in Jiraiya._

"We decided to pick Faye to join our tribe." Mai announced, revealing the four-lettered name on her chalkboard.

Asuka cringed at the name. She then cursed her bad luck, cursed destiny, cursed Tsunade's decision, cursed her Jiriaya tribe members, and cursed Iruka for introducing a twist that probably changed nothing for the redhead.

"And we'd like to invite Mai to join Jiraiya." Holland said with a gracious smile.

Several people were surprised at his decision, Mai herself included. Almost everyone thought he'd choose one of the three Tsunade men, for their strength, for their brains, or for whatever the case might be. But all along, Holland knew Mai would be the one he picked as soon as the twist was announced. In short, he was looking for a prospective ally through this twist and Mai fit all his criteria. She was intelligent, sassy and assertive, just the way Holland liked his women to be. He married an alpha female himself after all. And the way Mai elected herself to be the tribe's representative earlier, well, that was what truly impressed Holland. It was a sign of power.

No, it was a sign of power that Holland was about to remove from Mai when she joins this tribe.

"Mai and Faye Valentine…hmm, I wonder if this is a coincidence or not." Iruka gave an amused smile at the two women. Both of them were wearing their game faces, revealing little of their emotions at the moment. "Drop your buffs."

The two women dropped their old buffs and walked over to the other tribe, where they obtained their new and permanent buffs. Mai was no longer a part of Tsunade, just like how Faye was no longer a part of Jiraiya. Everything appeared to remain the same, except for their positions in the new tribes.

"That's the twist." Iruka concluded, much to the disappointment of some people who were expecting more. "I hope you welcome your new tribe members with open arms. I'll see you at the next immunity challenge."

Mai turned around one last time and exchanged a rather awkward farewell with her former tribe members. Meryl and Orihime looked upset at the split, but the blonde wasn't sure if they were upset about her or themselves for no longer having a secure position in the tribe. Either way, there was nothing Mai could do for them anymore. The Vixens will just have to take care of themselves.

She turned back to her new tribe members, who all seemed friendly enough, but they were very cautious of her. She was the intruder. She was the outsider. She was the easy target.

Mai sighed softly, wondering if she stood a chance of surviving in her new tribe. For now, her future looked very bleak and unpromising.

_These people can't vote me out. _Mai thought, closing her eyes. _I'm already dead._

- - -

On her hike to her new campsite, Faye Valentine felt the urge to punch somebody in the face. The person she wanted to punch most was Mai, who was responsible for putting Faye in this position right now. But the blonde wasn't here, since she was receiving her own comeuppance in Jiraiya. So, Faye was stuck here with five strangers and a very grumpy mood. There weren't any gracious welcomes from her new tribe members, who all treated her like she was a hostile alien about to invade her new tribe. The only person attempting to be friendly was Orihime, who already came on as _too _sickeningly sweet for Faye's liking.

In short, Faye hated her new tribe.

"Oh look, they delivered your belongings here already." Orihime turned around and addressed the bounty huntress with a friendly smile. "Isn't that great?"

"I hope they didn't leave anything behind." Faye muttered before injecting a bit more enthusiasm in her voice. She forced a strained smile on her face. "I guess this is my new home now."

"Just get settled here and stuff." Zolo said, who sounded as welcoming as someone who just met his worst enemy. He was still a little bitter that Guy was not chosen, even though this was not Faye's fault at all.

"Thanks, I definitely will. Nice camp, by the way." Faye said, scanning her eyes across the rather bleak campsite. But in all honesty, she was thinking more in the lines of: _No doubts about it, the Jiraiya campsite was definitely more happening than this dump._

There was a long and awkward silence where nobody said anything, or nobody knew what to say. Faye didn't normally start meaningless conversations, but she was in no position to be snooty.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Faye asked.

"The guys are going hunting and the girls are doing the cooking." Roy cocked up an eyebrow. "Where do you fit in, Faye?"

"Oh. That's…nice." Faye replied flatly to the arrangement. She paused for a moment of thought before she turned towards the men. "I'll go hunting with you guys. I'm a bit of a tomboy myself."

"You're coming with us?" Shannon asked, sounding surprised.

"Yeah, don't underestimate me. I pack quite the punch." Faye made a swiping gesture with her fist, which caused the swordsman to crack a rare smile.

"Then I'll get the equipment," said Shannon.

"It's okay if I go with the guys, right? Do you two need any help with the cooking?" Faye asked, flashing a concerned expression to the other women.

"No, go on ahead. Orihime and I will be perfectly fine by ourselves, thank you very much." Meryl muttered in a rather unenthusiastic voice. It was clear that she didn't sound pleased.

"I was just asking." Faye shrugged.

"Thanks, but no thanks." Meryl flashed the bounty huntress a humourless smile. "Now go play with the boys."

Faye exchanged several glances with the men and Shannon almost gave her an empathetic look. The bounty huntress just smiled and shrugged her shoulders again. Ignoring Meryl, Faye thought she made progress to incorporate herself as part of the tribe. She was active, she was involved, she was pretty much everything she was _not _during her time in Jiraiya. Back in her old tribe, she didn't have to put in much effort to survive. But in Tsunade, where she was the obvious outsider, Faye felt very vulnerable about her position. And she knew she had to step up her game a _huge _notch.

_**Faye: **__I don't know how it happened, but I think I've made my first enemy in Tsunade. Meryl was being a bitch when all I tried to do was be friendly with her. It's the passive aggressive behaviour that freaks me out, because I haven't done anything to upset her. So, what has gotten up her ass?_

She gave a dry laugh to the camera.

_**Faye: **__May be she's hostile with me because I already forged a bond with the guys. I've been here less than an hour, but I can suss out that they've a tight alliance. I'm not keen on joining them, but the guys got the numbers and I just want to be in the majority. Anyway, I need to put on my best behaviour or I'd be an easy target. I mean, they pick off the chick from the other tribe and they all make it through to the next round. How easier does it get?_

The men departed with Faye on their hunting expedition, leaving behind Orihime and Meryl to do the cooking in the meantime. Orihime remained positive and bubbly, as she always was, and hummed a pleasant tune as she worked. However, Meryl seemed much more sullen, like there was something bothering her in her mind. Orihime immediately noticed her bad mood and tried her best to find out what was wrong.

"I'm worried about Faye. She already hit it off with the guys and ditched us behind." Meryl explained with a heavy sigh. "I don't think there's any chance she'll vote with us."

"They do seem chummy." Orihime agreed.

"Was I too harsh on her? Looking back, I think I snapped at her a bit." Meryl sighed again, this time remorsefully. "Way to make a first impression."

Orihime silently patted the insurance agent on the shoulder to console her.

"She just made me feel so irritated with the way she…she…I don't know. I don't know what I'm saying." Meryl buried her face in her hands. "I feel so lost."

"You can't help the way you feel." Orihime nodded sympathetically. "And you're a very feeling person, senpai."

"We worked so hard to overcome the odds and just when we thought we succeeded, another obstacle is thrown in our way." Meryl mumbled. "It's really unfair. We just _can't _win."

"It's not over yet, senapi. There's still hope for us. Faye could still be a potential ally." Orihime smiled, trying her best to think in the positive.

"Do we want her as an ally anyway? She doesn't look trustworthy. May be we should team up with the guys and vote her out," said Meryl.

"I don't want to be outnumbered by the men again…" Orihime mumbled without much confidence. "If we vote out Faye now, we'll be two fighting against the three."

"I think it's a safer _insurance _if we vote out Faye at the next tribal council. It's like a free pass for the two of us." Meryl said, "Besides, we don't know where Faye's loyalties lie. I think she's more inclined to vote with the guys than to vote with us." She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "And I hope our guys are more inclined to vote with us than to vote with Faye. You see what I mean?"

"But once we vote out Faye, we'll be back to square one." Orihime didn't sound convinced.

"We should vote her out with the guys, because it's the only guarantee _we_ can stay together for one more round." Meryl grabbed Orihime's hand and squeezed it in her own.

_**Meryl: **__I don't know if I'm making a mistake by voting Faye out, but I think it's my safest bet. Somewhere in my head, a voice is screaming that I should take the risk, approach Faye for an alliance, and go head on against the guys. But I…I just can't walk into a battle that I'll most likely lose. I can't do it. So, I have to vote out Faye._

She nodded firmly to the camera, as if she was confirming her strategy to herself. Meryl had always been a very decisive person and did not like to stall important decisions for long.

_**Meryl: **__And besides, I shouldn't be listening to the voices in my head. That's kind of creepy, isn't it?_

"I wish Mai was here. She'd have this all sorted out by now." Orihime said wistfully. "Do you miss her, senpai?"

"No, I don't. I'm concerned about her, but I don't _miss _her." Meryl shook her head. Then with a confident smile, she added, "You can't miss someone that you know you're going to meet again."

- - -

The moment she joined her new tribe, Mai Valentine was welcomed by Jiraiya with open arms. They were one step away from hosting a housewarming party for their new guest, until Mai politely declined the offer and told them to treat her as one of their own. That didn't seem like a difficult task, since almost everyone was exceptionally kind towards her right off the bet. The aloof Asuka was a minor exception, but that came as a surprise to no one. The rest of Jiraiya was glad to have a new addition to the tribe and made every effort to acquaint more with Mai.

Some of the efforts were genuine, originating from people who actually wanted to befriend Mai for the sake of knowing her better. Then, there were others with less noble intentions. One person who definitely wasn'tgenuine was Harley, who could be best described as brownnosing the newcomer in order to get on her good side. He spent a majority of the day by Mai's side, sharing his skewed version on what happened in Jiraiya during the past eleven days. Mai played the part of the attentive listener very well, nodding her head in the right places and never interrupting unless spoken to. And that was all it took for Harley, after a few mere hours, to pronounce her as his new best friend.

"You and me, babes, we have chemistry. Sparks fly everywhere when we're together." Harley joked to the blonde. "I think you'll be my replacement Valentine."

"Right on. I know us two are going to get along really well." Mai smiled intently at the Pokemon Coordinator.

While it was obvious to Mai that the Pokemon Coordinator was kissing butt, it was even more apparent to the rest of the tribe. And why would they not notice his behaviour, considering that Harley thrust himself in every conversation Mai partook and tagged along her like fleas to a dog. His actions were as blatant as they were false. And as time passed by, it was clear that Harley already self-destructed without the presence of Faye to keep him grounded.

_**Asuka: **__Harley is as transparent as a glass of water and he's just as tasteless too. Everyone in the tribe knows that he's sucking up to the new girl like there's no tomorrow. Watching him made me feel so disgusted that I…I just had to get away. I can't bear the sight of him anymore._

She impatiently tapped her fingers on her knee.

_**Asuka: **__How is it fair that I, Asuka Soryu Langley, will get outlasted by the likes of frickin' Harley? He's the same spineless idiot who can't swallow down a plate of worms to win immunity. Meanwhile, I put my heart and soul in every challenge because it's the only way I can survive. I can't believe he'll last longer in the game than me. It sucks!_

If Harley was affable and warm towards Mai, then Asuka's reaction was the exact opposite. So far, the two women had exchanged not a single word to each other. It was intentional on Asuka's part, since she viewed the blonde as an enemy. Like Faye, the redhead teenager was _furious _about Mai's selection this morning. Asuka had been hoping, praying, wishing, and practically begging to leave Jiraiya in the twist, her one and only chance of survival, but she didn't get her way. And when Asuka didn't get her way, she directed all anger and blame towards one person, which just happened to be Mai Valentine.

As far as Asuka was concerned, she will be the next person voted off from the Jiraiya tribe, thanks to the cruel, heartless, conniving blonde who didn't swap her to the Tsunade tribe. From a logical perspective, Mai had no prior knowledge about Jiraiya and could not be fully blamed her decision. But Asuka was never a very logical person, despite her immense intelligence. She was an _emotional _person, who reacted and responded to her emotions on a whim.

And right now, Asuka's heart was telling her that she had to run away. Run far, far away into the forest where she was isolated from the rest of Jiraiya. Run far, far away into a place where she was alone.

"I just want to make the merge. That's all I ever wanted." Asuka muttered to herself as she ran.

She continued running with no aim, no direction, and no intention of ever stopping. Asuka didn't know how long she had been in the forest, but her tribe members were growing concerned. The sun was setting down and Guy noticed her absence from the campsite.

"Asuka shouldn't be in the forest by herself. Not at this hour. It's really dangerous. Not even the springtime of youth can protect her." Guy gazed up at the orange evening sky and frowned.

"She'll be fine," said Holland.

"Let's go track her down." Guy told the grey-haired captain. "She might have an ego as big as Konoha, but she's still a child. She needs to be fathered and mothered, babied and loved!"

Holland glanced at the big burly ninja, knowing how protective he was of the teenager. Even though this wasn't the first time Asuka ran off by herself, he realized that Guy had a valid point. And thus, Holland reluctantly nodded his head.

"Let's go find her. Then, we'll have a talk with Asuka, because this is getting ridiculous." Holland folded his arms across his chest. "Either she includes herself as part of this tribe, or she takes herself out of it."

_**Holland: **__I was ready to face the consequences when we voted Keitaro out instead of Asuka. I just never thought she'd be such a hindrance. At least Keitaro was loyal, so you'll know where you stand with him. Asuka, on the other hand, is too rebellious and unpredictable. She's the type of player who can ruin everyone's games if we don't watch out for her._

Asuka had been running non-stop for the past fifteen minutes. She didn't know why she was still running, since she didn't have a point to prove to anyone, but she _did _know that her body was growing increasingly exhausted. Looking up at the evening sky, Asuka figured it was getting late and she should be making her way back to camp. As she turned around, she immediately encountered two people she had no desire of seeing: Guy and Holland.

"It's time to go home, Asuka." Holland grunted.

"Leave me alone!" Asuka shot both men a piercing glare. "Stop stalking me!"

"We were just worried about you," said Guy. He tried to reach out a hand to pat Asuka's shoulder, but she slapped it away.

"What part of _leave me alone _do you not understand, you stupid blockhead!?" Asuka screamed.

And then, without any warning, she began to run away from them. Logically, she knew it was impossible to run away from an athlete like Guy, but logic was not on her mind right now as she ran aimlessly into the forest.

"Stop running, Asuka! You can't run away forever!"

Asuka ignored Guy's not-so-distant voice and continued running. She was running like she had no intention of stopping for anyone.

"Don't run anymore! It's dangerous and you don't know where you're going!"

She picked up her pace even more after this. Asuka then made a sudden left turn into the bushes in hopes of dodging the men's pursuit. On her way, she thought she stepped on some ambiguous object on the ground, which felt quite squishy and strange, but she didn't stop running.

And that was when she made a very critical mistake.

"Oh god, behind you! Watch out! Run! Run for your life!"

Ironically, it was that remark which caused Asuka to slow down, since she was curious at the sudden change in tone. Guy had been yelling in a loud boisterous voice from before, but _this _sounded different. This sounded like the ninja was stricken with fear and panic. This sounded like an ominous warning that Asuka had better heed to.

A few steps later, Asuka stopped running and turned around. She needed to find out what was behind her, but she instantly regretted this move.

That was when she saw _it_.

Resting just a feet or less from where she stood, there was a massive blue-black snake on the ground that Asuka had never noticed until now. She soon realized the weird thing she stepped on earlier must've been the body of this snake. Now, Asuka didn't know much about snakes in general, but she understood enough that these reactive creatures do _not _like to be stepped on.

The snake glared and hissed at Asuka, as if it was identifying its prey before an attack. The redhead teenager found herself frozen to the spot, unable to move a single muscle of her body. She was almost paralyzed with shock.

"N…no." Asuka widened her eyes in surprise. She looked visibly startled. "No!"

Before the snake could launch itself towards Asuka, Guy arrived just in time to grab the snake with his hands and twisted its head in one quick snap. The snake was instantly dead as its body fell limp in Guy's hands.

"Is everyone alright!?" Holland appeared in the scene a few seconds later.

"Nobody is hurt." Guy said in a very solemn manner. "But I don't know if I can say the same thing had I arrived just a second later…"

Asuka, who was too shell-shocked to reply back, just fell on her knees and cried.

_**Guy: **__Now, that was a close call! Asuka was one second away from a very serious injury today. Snakes are pretty rare around these forests, but they do exist and they are deadly. I don't want to imagine what might've happened to Asuka had I not been there to rescue her. She could've died. She could've seriously died right then and there._

He folded his arms across his chest.

_**Guy: **__The poor girl will never forget this incident for the rest of her life. When she broke down in tears today, my heart really reached out for her…because I think that's the first time I've seen Asuka act completely human…_

- - -

Zolo returned from his hunting expedition with another dead boar, which meant Tsunade had another satisfying feast to look forward to. Thus, dinner tonight required a lot of work from Shannon, who did everything from skinning the boar to mincing the meat to cooking it to finally dividing the food in equal portions. He had some assistance from Orihime and Meryl, but for the most part Shannon prepared the meal by himself. Not only did he do almost everything, he also did it with the utmost perfection. There was no doubt that dinner was being cooked in good hands.

As a result, Shannon's hard labour didn't go unnoticed by his tribe members, especially from the newcomer Faye, who was in awe with how much work the swordsman did.

"You spent hours cooking this boar and it tastes _delicious_. I can literally taste all the effort put into this meal." Faye told him as she sat down for dinner tonight. Everyone in Tsunade agreed with her statement. "You're a stellar worker, man!"

Shannon mustered a humble smile at her, which was his way of responding to a compliment.

"And it's not just this one meal. I can tell that you work hard in everything you do." Faye continued. Her statement was once again met with concurrence from the tribe. "I don't think this camp would nearly be as functional without your contributions."

The swordsman once again smiled gratefully.

"You must be the most valuable player in Tsunade. I can't think of anyone else challenging you for the title," said Faye.

"That's enough." Shannon grumbled at last.

_**Shannon: **__Faye comes across as a bit insincere, because she knows exactly the right things to say to people. I know she's trying to be friendly, but it's rubbing me the wrong way. I can't stand false people._

He frowned at the camera.

_**Shannon: **__Just from the way she speaks, I don't think Faye is an honest person. I don't trust her one bit._

Faye ate dinner quietly without drawing a lot of attention to herself. Orihime instigated a few superficial conversations with her to break the ice, to which Faye responded with superficial answers that revealed very little about herself, just as she had intended. The rest of Tsunade sat there with few words to contribute. It soon became clear to Faye that either Tsunade was a very _quiet _tribe or it was a very _unfriendly _tribe.

Ever since she arrived, the bounty huntress had not opened up herself to anyone, nor had they done the same for her. The only people who tried socializing with her were Orihime, whose bubbly persona Faye didn't really like, and Roy, who seemed charming enough but was definitely holding back. The rest of Tsunade was wary of her, especially sour-faced Meryl, who had not smiled once since Faye joined them for dinner.

However, Faye was determined to not let their behaviour discourage her from surviving. If Tsunade didn't want to acknowledge her as anything more than an intruder, then she'll have to very well integrate herself into the tribe until they finally accept her. She'll make herself an important asset to the tribe and she'll start by doing all the work that she possibly can. After all, a good impression meant everything for Faye's survival.

"Is everyone finished? Then I'll do the dishes." Faye flashed her most gracious smile to Tsunade. Volunteering to wash the dishes was something she had never done in her old tribe.

"No, that's okay. You just sit here and rest." Meryl spoke up for the first time during dinner. "I'll take care of the dishes."

"I don't mind doing the work. I'm very capable of washing dishes." Faye insisted.

"No really, it's okay. Washing the dishes has always been my job before you arrived," said Meryl, sounding somewhat forceful in her tone of voice.

"Oh, is that so?" Faye remained unfazed. "Well, if you don't mind, Meryl, I'd like to contribute something to my new tribe. I want to get involved. So, let me wash the dishes tonight. _You_ can take a break."

"You can contribute some other way." Meryl glared. She felt her position in the tribe was in danger of being replaced. "This is my responsibility. I _always _wash the dishes."

"Oh god, Meryl. It's just the dishes. You can't mark your territory on washing the frickin' dishes!" Faye snapped.

Meryl bit her lips. She tried her best to hold her tongue and not leash out on Faye like she really wanted to do inside. If she got into an unnecessary confrontation with the bounty huntress, it was bound to make both of them look bad.

"You should let Meryl do her usual job." Zolo said all of a sudden. "She shouldn't have to give up her job just because someone new arrived."

"Right, she has been washing them since the first day." Shannon nodded his head.

"And she does an awesome job at it too!" Orihime added.

"Alright, I can catch a hint. I know when I'm not wanted. Meryl can do the dishes if she wants. I'm getting a little tired, so I'm going to call it a night." Faye got up from her seat and walked away from the campfire, cursing her new tribe members inside her head.

"Look, Faye…I didn't mean to…" Meryl began apologetically, but she was cut off by the bounty huntress.

"Goodnight, Tsunade."

_**Faye: **__No matter how hard I try to fit in, I can see now that I'll always be the outsider in my new tribe. To those people, I'm nothing more than an intruder, who they'll vote out as soon as possible. Nothing I do or say can change this fact. My destiny was marked the moment I put on this Tsunade buff. But who am I kidding? I'm not a part of this tribe and I'll never be._

She tore off her green buff, which was previously wrapped around her waist, and tossed it aside.

_**Faye: **__I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow, but I don't see much to look forward to. Nobody in this tribe trusts me and vice versa, which will sadly be my downfall. I can foresee my inevitable doom because I know…women like me never have happy endings._

- - -

**DAY 12**

Asuka's recent encounter with a snake became the watercooler topic in Jiraiya the next day. Soon, the entire tribe knew about every detail of the incident, including the part where Asuka broke into tears for a few minutes. The teenager had gotten over her shock by sleeping on it, but now she felt too embarrassed to face the rest of Jiraiya. Not wanting to alienate herself in the forest again, Asuka decided to stay in the shelter for the whole day, so she could avoid communicating with her tribe members. This plan didn't last long of course, since Guy did his usual morning routine of waking everyone up, thus forcing Asuka out of her fake slumber.

"Asuka, you must bear your soul to Konoha and bask in its motherly sunlight!" Guy exclaimed. "You can't stay in the shelter for the entire morning!"

"Leave me alone! Go kill a ninja or something!" Asuka screamed.

Meanwhile, Kari and Bulma were cooking breakfast by the campfire. They too had heard about Asuka's near-death experience. Bulma, being the proud gossip queen of Jiraiya, was one of the first people to be informed. She was now retelling the story to Kari, who expressed genuine concern about Asuka's emotional health. After all, being _almost _killed was bound to leave an impact on any normal human being, even the ones who tried putting on a false bravado like Asuka.

"I hope she's alright. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Asuka," said Kari. The petite DigiDestined turned around and glanced back at the shelter, where Asuka had to reluctantly leave the shelter due to pressure from Guy.

"She looks like the same girl to me. I don't think Asuka is mature enough to comprehend what happened." Bulma chuckled.

"Still, it's not something that should be brushed aside," said Kari.

"True, but Asuka will have to fight her own demons by herself." Bulma shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "We can't do anything to help her."

"That's not true…" Kari glanced up at the inventor with a small smile.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Bulma sighed.

"I think you should patch things up with Asuka, so she'll have one less burden to worry about." Kari said, while Bulma was already shaking her head in protest. "It's not that bad of an idea, Bulma. I mean, Asuka doesn't have the state of mind to pick any more fights with you. I think it'll make her feel a lot better if you two made up."

"Uh, how about no?" Bulma laughed.

"Come on, Bulma. It takes a bigger woman to make the apology first." Kari continued, "I'm sure Asuka will reciprocate if you make the first move."

"We're just going to start another fight. If you don't mind, I want to have a peaceful morning today. Let's leave each other alone." Bulma shook her head.

"But you want to clear up the air with her, right? It'll make _you _feel a lot better too," said Kari.

"I can't deny that." Bulma looked open to the idea.

"Don't do it for Asuka. Do it for your own conscience." Kari smiled.

"When you phrase it that way…oh fine, I'll make the stupid apology." Bulma shook her head again, followed by a laugh. "Hell, I can't believe I'm taking advice from someone young enough to be my granddaughter!"

_**Kari: **__I think Asuka and Bulma have a little misunderstanding that dragged on for way too long. They should sort out their differences before both of them regret it in the future. So, I kind of encouraged Bulma to apologize to Asuka, because I know she'll understand. I think it'll improve the tribe morale a lot more. Better friends than enemies, right?_

After Guy finally chased Asuka out of the shelter, she had no choice but to join her tribe members by the campfire. She acknowledged Bulma and Kari with a silent nod, but said nothing to either woman. With a nudge from the DigiDestined, Bulma began to speak.

"_So_, Asuka! How are you feeling today?" Bulma cleared up her throat.

"Fine." Asuka muttered.

"You're not scared about the snake anymore, right?" Bulma asked in a chipper voice.

"Are you trying to pick an argument here?" Asuka raised her voice.

Two sentences in and another disagreement seemed like it was about to start. Bulma cast her 'I-told-you-so' glance at Kari, who just kept encouraging the inventor to continue with the casual conversation. _A friendly chat is good_. Kari's eyes told Bulma. _Friendly is good._

"Look, I know we've had our differences in the past, but I don't want to keep fighting with you anymore." Bulma shook her head. "I'm too _young _for this."

"That's your problem. Not mine." Asuka rolled her eyes.

"I don't want to bicker with you. Let's call a truce, girl." Bulma flashed a weak smile at the redhead. "What do you say?"

"What's your motive? Why are you being so nice to me?" Asuka glared.

"I don't have a motive!" Bulma sighed exasperatedly. She glanced at Kari, who just smiled in response. "I want there to be peace between us. We don't need to be best friends. I just don't want to be enemies anymore."

"Is that all?" Asuka asked.

"Yes, of course." Bulma grumbled. "This is a genuine apology from me. I'm sorry if I've made you upset in the past."

Asuka looked pensive for a moment, as if she was dissecting Bulma's words in her head. After a while, Asuka began nodding her head in approval.

"I accept your apology." Asuka said this without any emotion in her voice. "No more butting heads with each other – you and me."

"It's for the best," said Bulma.

Since an agreement had been reached, the two women exchanged an awkward handshake to confirm their newfound amity. Kari looked on with a toothy grin, satisfied with her accomplishment to bring the two enemies to friendly terms with each other. Bulma also seemed relieved, perhaps for the peace and harmony that she looked forward to in the upcoming days. As for Asuka, she didn't do anything but smirk – her trademark smirk.

_**Bulma: **__At the end of the day, I'm glad Kari convinced me to make amends with Asuka. I don't think I'll ever see eye-to-eye with the girl, but at least camp life won't be as unbearable from now on. Asuka does seem a little more grounded ever since her near-death experience, and I suppose that sort of thing can affect a person for the better. Who knows? May be she'll be back to her old self in a few days._

She ran her hand through her short shaggy hair.

_**Bulma: **__Asuka and I aren't working together in the game, but that could be a possibility in the future. Anything could happen in Survivor. Even the worst of enemies can become meaningful allies if the circumstances demand it. And you know me…I'll never close a window of opportunity._

Lying on the hammock, Harley could see everything that just happened at the campfire. Mai also rested beside him, watching the reconciliation take place between Asuka and Bulma. Currently, Kari was engaged in a conversation with the two women, all of them seemingly getting along for a change. Harley never thought it was possible for Asuka and Bulma to coexist without constantly bickering, but he was now watching an unbelievable miracle right in front of him.

"I cannot believe the nerve of that girl, ruining all my plans again." Harley shot a venomous glare at Kari. "Once again, she inserts her meddlesome self in other people's businesses. She just can't keep her big trap shut."

Mai nodded quietly, although she didn't understand what Harley was saying.

"I'm warning you now, she's a sneaky one. You'll have to watch out for her, Mai." Harley whispered.

"I certainly will," said Mai.

"If it wasn't for that stupid Kari, there'd be two easy targets to pick off." Harley frowned. "This doesn't bode well for us, since Asuka isn't as annoying as she used to be. First, there was the snake thing. And now this sort of stuff happens."

"She's going to get a lot of brownie points from everyone," said Mai.

"Exactly! And this is all _her _fault! I can't stand her!" Harley pointed his crooked finger at the unknowing DigiDestined. "Kari must've done this on purpose so she can plant the target on me. She's trying to make everyone feel sorry for Asuka, and then she'll get them to vote me out!"

Mai raised her eyebrows, looking amused. Harley continued his bitter diatribe against Kari.

"I swear, that girl is so much more deceptive than she appears. I can't believe I'm the only one who noticed this so far." Harley hissed. "You know what, Mai? I really want to throw the next immunity challenge and vote Kari's fat ass out."

- - -

Zolo walked into this immunity challenge like any other. He did not expect to lose. However, this was easier said than done, especially when he was facing the fearsome challenge machine known as Guy. So far in the challenges, the Konoha ninja dominated every single one, leaving Tsunade battered and humiliated in their sea of losses. Jiraiya only stumbled once in the second immunity challenge, but that blame could not be attributed to Guy, who performed amazingly as always. With these odds, Zolo knew he'd have a difficult time defeating Guy today. Yet, he remained as determined as ever.

Today was _his _day.

"Welcome to your fourth immunity challenge. Jiraiya, I need that immunity idol back." Iruka said. Kari gave back the wooden sculpture, which was then placed on a pedestal for display. "Immunity is back up for grabs."

"Yeah, baby." Faye muttered wryly. Out of everyone here, she knew she needed immunity the most.

"As you could see here, there's a huge mud pit in front of us." Iruka grinned at the players. "Want to take a guess at what this challenge is about?"

"This looks messy." Bulma frowned.

"I'm sitting this one out." Harley whispered, half-joking.

"Each tribe is given a large pail, which they'll have to fill up with as much mud as possible." Iruka pointed at the orange and green buckets by his side, both very large in size. "You won't be given any materials to help you. You'll have to use whatever you can with your body. At the end of five minutes, the two buckets will be weighed. The tribe with the heavier bucket of mud wins immunity."

Since Jiraiya had one extra member, Harley opted to sit out for this challenge. The rest of the players were prepared to dive in the mud as soon as Iruka gave the signal.

"Survivors ready? Go!" Iruka shouted.

Guy literally launched himself into the pool of mud, creating a huge splash that even got Iruka and Harley dirty form the sidelines. The rest of the players followed behind him, some squirming and some laughing as they dove into the mud. It only took a matter of seconds before everyone was covered in mud and dirt from head to toe. And this was when the real fun began.

"Meryl, come and scrape the mud off my body!" Zolo yelled out.

"Uh, excuse me?" Meryl asked, clearly startled.

"We don't have time to be modest!" Zolo said, standing by the humungous Tsunade bucket. "I can't reach the mud on my back! Rub it off me!"

Meryl hesitated at first, but she planted both hands on his backside and began wiping the mud into the pail. Her hands soon found their ways to Zolo's prominent abs, and it was then Meryl barely contained a cheeky grin, thinking to herself what an enjoyable challenge this was.

It was a quick-paced challenge, with lots of muddy people running back and forth from the mud pit to the buckets. Mai and Orihime both shared the advantage of having long hair, which could absorb a lot of mud from the ground and then be squeezed out into the pails. Of course, it was painful to have their hair grabbed and twisted like they were dirty rags, but neither woman complained as immunity was on the line.

"Good job, Jiraiya! Go, go, go, go, go!" Harley shouted.

Most of the men rolled around in the mud pits, since their bodies could gather up more volumes of mud. Naturally, the more agile men were able to make frequent trips back and forth, such as Shannon and Guy. Skinny Holland opted for a different strategy, putting large clunks of mud on his head and then carefully delivered them to the Jiraiya bucket. However, it was the immodest Faye who opted for a completely outrageous strategy – by removing her top and using that to transport mud back and forth. The men had an eyeful of the topless bounty huntress, but they were surprisingly not distracted with the pleasant sight.

Mai soon imitated the successful strategy, so there were now two naked women running around in the challenge, both their bodies covered in filth, sweat and mud. Despite the supposedly erotic image, neither woman felt very feminine right. Still, as they were doing this challenge, they were both very grateful that Kurz Weber was voted out at the last tribal council.

The challenge was an exciting one and also an eyeful one, but it soon came to an end when the five minutes were up. Everybody was covered in mud from top to bottom, so it was difficult to distinguish themselves from each other. That was why Mai had grabbed Zolo's hand in eagerness, thinking it was Guy's hand she was holding. The pirate didn't correct her mistake, but rather he enjoyed their intimacy.

"I'll weigh these two pails on a balance," declared Iruka.

He lifted up the green bucket first with one hand, but struggled. This was a small gesture, but it was a subtle indication that pleased Tsunade very much. Iruka had to use both hands in order to carry the bucket to the scale balance. Once there, he attached it to one end of the balance. Without anything on the other end, the pail dropped to the ground immediately.

"Now, Jiraiya."

Iruka picked up the orange bucket with equal might and effort, so it was hard to tell whether or not Jiraiya had more weight than Tsunade. When Iruka placed the pail on the other end of the balance, the balance didn't move at first. But then, the forces of gravity kicked in and the Jiraiya pail began to slowly decline under the weight. After a few seconds, the two buckets were even with each other on the scale, but this lasted only for a brief moment before the heavier pail continued to drop to the ground, while the lighter pail was raised high in the air.

The scale balance stopped moving after a while, indicating that a winner had been determined. When Zolo first saw the results, he couldn't believe his eyes.

The Jiraiya pail was touching the ground, while the Tsunade pail hanged helplessly in the air.

"Jiraiya wins immunity!" Iruka exclaimed.

In a spontaneous reaction, Mai hugged the person closest to her, which just happened to be Zolo. It took her a brief moment before she realized who he was and that they weren't on the same tribe anymore. Mai smiled, releasing his hand, now even more grateful that she was no longer a part of Tsunade. That was a former tribe and a distinct past that she had left behind. Now, she was a full-fledged member of Jiraiya – the _victorious _Jiraiya.

"There're always winners and losers in the game of life! Just remember not to let one defeat forever taint your springtime of youth!" Guy suddenly cried out. He appeared even more emotional than ever. On closer examination, the Konoha ninja was actually holding back tears. "I feel for you, Lee! I feel your sorrow and it pains me very much!"

"Guy, we won! Why are you crying?" Kari asked in surprise. "Don't cry, Guy! Jiraiya didn't lose!"

"These are manly tears!" Guy sniffled and then he let a single tear trickle down his cheek.

"Are they tears of joy?" Holland suggested.

"We will train harder!" Guy exclaimed, ignoring Holland's mark. A few more tears continued to stream down his face. "We'll strive higher and perform better! Let us reach out to the sun and the stars and the great, great beyond!"

"Oh my god, is he alright? Why is he talking to himself?" Mai whispered loudly.

"No, I think that's just his way of the ninja." Kari replied as a frustrated smile spread across her face. "That's how he is. You gotta love Guy."

- - -

Tsunade lost another challenge and Faye didn't respond to the news well. She was used to winning these challenges from before, so it felt different to be on the losing side of things. For the bounty huntress, this challenge was more than just a simple loss. This challenge marked her destiny. This challenge sealed her fate.

As a last ditch attempt to save herself, Faye turned to the two people she least expected to receive help from. She approached Meryl and Orihime after the immunity challenge, in an attempt to start an alliance or work out a deal of some sort. Faye wanted to keep an open mind, but it was clear the other women weren't reciprocating.

"Why won't you align with me?" Faye asked. "We three chicks can cause a tie in tribal council. That'll really shake things up! It'll create massive chaos, except that it'll be _good _chaos. Definitely the good kind."

"I'm sorry, but that's too risky. Orihime and I want to make it past this tribal council together." Meryl shook her head.

"You know the guys will vote you out as soon as I'm gone, right?" Faye asked.

"That's something we're prepared to handle when the time comes," said Meryl.

"You're hopeless." Faye muttered as she stomped away in an angry huff. Orihime looked down silently, while Meryl reassured her that they made the right decision tonight.

_**Faye: **__Damn it! I worked almost every single angle in this tribe and I can't find a way out! These people are all cowards. None of them want to take a chance and shake the game up with me. They're all so secure in their little alliances and they don't want anything to change. So, they're going to do the most cheapskate thing by voting me out. These people make me sick!_

She slammed her fist on the ground.

_**Faye: **__Well, you know what? I just can't wait for that to happen! Yeah, go ahead and vote me out. I dare those bastards to do that. I can't wait until a bombshell lands on their heads and blow up the tribal harmony in their faces. We'll see who gets the last laugh._

She made the same pitch to the three men, but got the same responses from each one. Shannon didn't want to rock the boat. Zolo was loyal to Tsunade to the very end. And Roy looked like he just wanted to see Faye suffer. After all, a desperate woman was the easiest to charm, which was why Roy felt pleased to have the bounty huntress approach him before the vote. She didn't look amused, however, and she cut straight to the case with her sharp, gritty words.

"Tell me." Faye demanded, fixing her gaze on the handsome colonel. "Tell me if the entire tribe is voting my ass out."

"Can you imagine any other scenario?" Roy asked.

"Just cut the bullshit and give me an answer. I want to know if it's going to be a unanimous vote." Faye paused before adding, "I _deserve _to know."

"They're voting you out. Shannon and Zolo are set on taking someone out from Jiraiya to even up the competition." Roy told her, "The merge is a few days away. At this stage of the game, we can't afford to vote out one of our own."

"And what about you, Roy? Are you just going to stand here and let them vote me out?" Faye asked.

"Don't get me wrong, you're an extremely attractive woman." Roy sadly shook his head in anticipation of his next words. "But you're not beautiful enough for me to risk my neck and save you."

"Could you actually save me? Or are you just full of bluff?" Faye scoffed.

"I'm not a miracle worker." Roy smiled.

"As I thought." Faye turned her back on him and walked away. "You're a chicken like the rest of them."

The words stung, but Roy didn't let his smile falter. He began to walk after the bounty huntress.

"Don't follow me. I'm looking for the idol. You'll just get in the way." Faye warned.

"You don't know where it is," said Roy.

"I could try at least, or are you going to deprive me of that too?" Faye turned around and shot him a glare that said a thousand words. It spoke of panic and fright, desperation and hopelessness, as well as frustration and hurt. Here was a woman at the end of her means, clutching onto one final hope for survival. And who was Roy to deny her such a comfort before tribal council?

"Good luck, Faye." Roy could barely conceal his smirk.

"Go to hell." Faye muttered under her breath.

_**Roy: **__I feel sorry for Faye. I don't think she was given a fair chance to fight for herself. Ultimately, she entered the tribe at the wrong time. Had she been here a few days ago, before we voted Kurz out and before Mai was gone, things would've been different. That was back when we had all the drama and conflicts. Faye would've fit right in._

He flashed a sad smile at the camera.

_**Roy: **__But times have changed. The merge is near and we can't be outnumbered by the other tribe. When Faye was delivered here, she was really a scapegoat sent to be sacrificed. I'm sad to admit that since the beginning, Faye never had a real chance of surviving in Tsunade._

He watched her march angrily into the forest, ready to embark on a search that she didn't know yet was futile. What Faye didn't realize was that the idol was found and used days ago, which meant she was essentially looking for nothing. And _nothing _was such a suitable word to describe Faye's stay in the game, because it summarized what she amounted to in the end. She meant nothing to Tsunade, who didn't know her well enough to attach any sentiments to the vote. She meant nothing to Jiraiya as well, since she didn't forge a close bond with her tribe members. Even Harley, her only friend in this game, had other people to worry about than somebody no longer on his tribe. Faye was a nothing, a nobody, a non-entity.

Soon, she will be forgotten.

Soon, she will be the fourth person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_.

Soon, she will become the woman without a past, a present, or a future.

Goodbye, Faye Valentine.

- - -

Tribal council came by like an indistinguishable blur to Faye. She didn't remember when it dawned upon her and she didn't really care. It was funny how tribal council meant so little to someone who was so overwhelmingly defeated in the game. It wasn't because she didn't try to fight for herself. In fact, it _was _the fact that she fought and failed which made this tribal council such an upsetting finale.

But tonight, Faye wasn't upset at all.

She just felt numb.

"Orihime, tell me your thoughts on the twist." Iruka said, beginning his usual round of questions. "You lost Mai and gained Faye in Tsunade. How does that change the tribe dynamics?"

"Mai was such a strong woman and she had so much presence in the tribe. Tsunade feels kind of empty without her." Orihime smiled.

"And how about Faye? Does she fill the void left by Mai?" Iruka asked.

"Mai is irreplaceable." Orihime tried her best to make her reply sound as respectful as possible. Even so, she put her head down afterwards, feeling a sudden tinge of guilt.

"Zolo, I know Mai didn't leave on the best terms with you. So, how does her absence make you feel?" Iruka asked.

"I dunno." Zolo shrugged. "When it comes down to it, Mai has _Tsunade _running in her blood. She'll always be a part of us, no matter what tribe she's in."

"Do you miss her?" Iruka prompted.

"Hell no!" Zolo laughed.

"Miss Valentine…" Iruka smiled gently at the bounty huntress. "How has your stay been so far?"

"Lonely." Faye admitted.

"You couldn't find anyone you can trust?" Iruka asked.

"They don't trust me," replied Faye.

"Really?" The host sounded genuinely surprised. "Then why don't you describe each of your tribe members for me. What're your impressions of them so far?"

"Sure, I'd love to." Faye smirked, which caused a few people to cast her nervous glances. "Let's see, we have Roy. Well, Roy is the brain of this tribe. He's the one who pulls the strings around here and everyone follows his lead. Then, there's Zolo. He's the muscle. He's a strong athlete and absolutely indispensable to Tsunade."

Faye paused for a moment before she moved on to her tribe members.

"Orihime is the pulse, because I think she's the one keeping this tribe alive. These people will all fall apart without her enthusiasm to keep them going. And Shannon, hmm…he's the body. He keeps Tsunade functioning with his constant hard work. He's a solid contributor in every way."

"What about Meryl?" Iruka asked.

"Well…" Faye's smirked widened. "Well, Meryl is the easiest to campaign against out of everyone. That's her purpose in this tribe."

Meryl stiffened a bit in her seat, but held her tongue from retorting with a snappy remark.

"Notice how I didn't assign the heart to anyone in this tribe." Faye's smirk faded away. "That's because every single person in Tsuande is heartless, including me. We're all cruel, heartless bastards."

"Hmm…" Iruka looked like he was at a loss for words. He shook his head and laughed. "Okay, I heard enough. Let's get to the vote. Meryl, why don't you start first?"

The insurance agent got up from her seat and treaded to the voting shrine. Unsurprisingly, she was the first person to write down Faye's name on the parchment tonight, and she wouldn't be the last.

"We've had our differences and…" Meryl paused when she failed to find the appropriate words. She gave up and decided to end her remark on a classy note. "And I'm sorry."

She folded the vote in half, dumped it in the voting urn, and returned to her seat.

The second person to vote was Roy, casting another vote against the bounty huntress.

"You tried your best, but it wasn't enough." Roy shrugged his shoulders. "The whole tribe wanted you out. You didn't have a fighting chance."

"Sorry…I'm doing this so Tsunade can stay intact a little longer." Orihime bowed her head remorsefully to the camera after casting her vote.

"I'm eliminating the competition." Zolo explained, sounding much less apologetic than the people before him. "You were part of Jiraiya, and that makes you my competition."

"Blame Mai." Shannon grunted as he cast his vote. He said nothing else and returned to his seat.

Faye crossed the rope bridge and arrived at the voting shrine. As the last person to vote for tonight, she had thought long and hard what she was going to say when she cast her vote. Should she be bitchy? Or she should maintain some good sportsmanship? Either way, it didn't make a difference in the outcome tonight.

"Meryl is easier to campaign against." Faye explained after scribbling a name on the parchment.

She folded the parchment in half and dropped it into the container. Before she walked away, she couldn't resist adding one more remark to the camera. With a smug grin on her face, she muttered,

"And because I'm a bitch."

- - -

Iruka came and returned with the voting urn. After explaining that the person voted out will be asked to leave tribal council area immediately, he began reading the votes.

"First vote…" Iruka unfolded the parchment and turned it over. "Faye."

That was the first one.

"Faye."

The second.

"Faye."

Third.

"The fourth person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_…" Iruka didn't even pause as he read out the name on the parchment. "Faye."

And just like that, she was out of the game. The votes came like rapid shots from a firing line. Faye barely had any time to react as she read her name for four consecutive times. There were no sympathy votes for her tonight and she had not hoped for any. At least the difficult part was over, which Faye was glad to have out of the way. It was an inevitable outcome, so why act surprised?

She watched her tribe members respond to the results. Some looked remorseful, but they were all guilty of the same charge. They all voted her out.

And now, they were going to _pay_.

"Do you have the hidden immunity idol?" Iruka asked.

Faye glanced down at her feet and said nothing.

Instead, she inserted her hand into her sock, pulling out a tiny golden amulet. She walked over to the host and gave him the hidden immunity idol.

"I guess you do have it!" Iruka grinned toothily. "I'll retract my previous statement then. Faye is not the fourth person voted out. She's immune in this tribal council, so all votes cast against her are void."

And all of a sudden, the whole atmosphere in tribal council changed. Because Tsunade no longer had an easy target they can collectively vote out. Because now every single person here was vulnerable tonight, except for Faye, who can just sit back and enjoy the mounting tension.

Iruka read out the fifth vote from the urn, which was another meaningless vote against the bounty huntress. This confirmed that there was a unanimous vote against Faye tonight, and it made her one vote more important than ever. Only she could decide who will be voted out.

The last vote was removed from the urn and unfolded.

"The fourth person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_…" Iruka gave a lingering pause before turning over the parchment. "Orihime."

Orihime sat startled in her seat, unable to comprehend what just happened. There was her name on the sixth and final parchment, but she couldn't understand why it was there. The others around her were just as confused. Meryl, in particular, was caught in suspended disbelief that the redhead teenager had been voted off. Shannon didn't look any happier, and he let out a very uncharacteristic expletive word that summarized his feelings perfectly.

"You'll have to bring me your torch," said Iruka.

Orihime nodded her head as the realization dawned upon her. Expect the unexpected. This was _Survivor _after all. Anything could happen. And with that motto in her head, she got up from her seat and grabbed her torch, but not before exchanging friendly hugs with everyone in the tribe, including Faye. After all, Orihime was anything but a sore loser. She wanted to be graceful even under fire.

"The tribe has spoken…" Iruka paused, realizing the contradiction in his words. Nonetheless, he snuffed out the flame on Orihime's torch. "It's time for you to go."

Orihime waved farewell to her tribe and departed on the walk of shame. Within seconds, she disappeared from sight forever. All that was left behind was an unlit torch and the golden amulet dangling in Iruka's hands.

"So, that makes it the _second _time a hidden immunity idol has been played in tribal council…and we're only on the twelfth night!" Iruka chuckled, but realized the mood here was a solemn one. "Let me make this official. There're no more hidden immunity idols in this game. If anyone wants to survive from now on, they'll have to do it on their own accords."

With that as his final remark, the host dismissed Tsunade back to their campsite for a good night of sleep. All eyes were on Faye as she stood up, most of them being spiteful glances. _Nobody _saw this coming. Nobody expected Faye to possess a hidden immunity idol that she found earlier in Jiraiya (and told no one, not even her closest ally Harley). Nobody expected Faye to play this idol and then subsequently vote Orihime out. And Tsunade wasn't prepared for this, which was their fault to a certain extent.

_Meryl is easier to campaign against_. Faye thought to herself as she walked back to camp. That was her justification behind Orihime's ouster. Tsunade couldn't afford to lose any of the men's strength, yet Faye didn't want to vote out Meryl, who was an easy target to rally against in the next tribal council. That left Orihime as the only available option, and out she went as the unfortunate victim of Faye's hidden immunity idol.

Figuratively, Faye was dead in this game and then came back to life. In other words, she was revived and had a second chance to make everything right. This time around, the bounty huntress was sure to make the most of it, even though the odds were still against her favour. In fact, her position in the tribe hadn't changed one bit, except she garnered even more animosity against her. She only hoped this sentiment will change as time passed. But for now, she was content that her torch was still lit with a strong, lively flame.

As long as she could keep this fire burning, she will continue to stay alive. Faye Valentine might have died once, but she refused to die again.

- - -

_**Orihime's Final Words**_

I'm still in recovery stage, but I guess I've a few final words to say. My stay in _Survivor _was short but sweet. This was truly the experience of a lifetime. I wish the best of luck to everyone remaining, because you're all strong for hanging in there. This game is tough, so I pray that nobody will get injured, or poisoned, or be attacked by a bear, or any of that bad stuff. And finally, I hope Shannon and Senpai are the Final Two, because that'd really make my day!

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha - **_

**Meryl takes the loss of her ally hard...**  
_Meryl: I find you conniving and false.  
Faye: At least I'm not a hypocrite._  
(In a confessional, Meryl buries her head in her knees.)  
_Meryl: I don't know how long I can hold on anymore._

**Faye uses her body to win favour...**  
(Faye is dressed in a skimpy bikini. She is bathing by the waterfall.)  
_Faye: Could you help me with the soap?_  
(Roy grins. He swims towards her.)

**And Jiraiya gets invaded by their enemies...**  
_Roy: They're asleep._  
(Roy and two other people sneak up to the Jiraiya shelter.)  
_Roy: Stop._  
(Someone inside the shelter wakes up.)  
_Roy: Run!_

_**All this and more on - Episode 5: The Infallible Warrior**_

- - -

**Author's Notes:** I hope the lack of reviews isn't the indication of my readership! Don't be shy...review some more! Or if you prefer, take the Episode 4 survey in my website and view the results to past surveys. Thanks for your time. 


	5. Episode 5: The Infallible Warrior

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_In a surprising twist, Mai and Faye were forced to swap tribes. Mai immediately found companionship in Harley, whose brownnosing was transparent to his entire tribe. His laziness also provoked much annoyance from the hardworking Guy. Meanwhile, Bulma and Asuka put aside their differences after Asuka had a near-death encounter with a deadly snake. In Tsunade, Faye fought an uphill battle to stay alive in her new tribe, but seemingly failed when Tsunade voted against her in a unanimous decision. However, Faye surprised them all by playing her hidden immunity idol, thus taking Orihime out of the game with only one vote._

_Twelve castaways remain. Who will be voted off next?_

**Episode Five: The Infallible Warrior**

Jiraiya Tribe** : Asuka **_(Neon Genesis Evangelion)_, **Bulma **_(Dragonball Z)_, **Guy**_ (Naruto)_, **Harley **_(Pokemon)_, **Holland**_ (Eureka Seven)_, **Kari **_(Digimon), _**Mai **_(Yu-gi-oh)_,

Tsunade Tribe**: Faye**_ (Cowboy Bebop)_, **Meryl **_(Trigun)_, **Roy**_ (Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon**_ (Scrapped Princess)_, **Zolo **_(One Piece)_

- - -

**DAY 13**

It started with a lonely funeral.

Early morning, Meryl Stryfe was the only person awake in her tribe. Here she sat by the waterfall, all alone and depressed. For the past few minutes or so, she had been mourning the loss of the Vixens, an alliance that lasted for one tribal council before crumbling apart. Mai was gone, Orihime was gone, and even their hidden immunity idol was gone. Meryl was left without a friend in a tribe that couldn't care less if she stays or goes. This was more than just the death of an alliance. Meryl predicted that she will be joining her friend in the losers' lodge very soon.

"I don't know what to do…" Meryl muttered to herself. She looked up at the sky as if seeking some sort of guidance. If only Mai was here to give her advice. If only Orihime was here to sooth her nerves.

Should she expect sympathy from others? No, Meryl might have some noticeable flaws, but a self-pitying martyr she was not. After sitting by the waterfall for a few minutes, she was already feeling kind of bored. It was no fun hosting a pity party of one. She had no audience to vent to, which was really the root of all her woes. She had not forged a close bond with anyone in Tsunade besides her two girls. Thus, nobody quite understood how lonely and devastated Meryl felt at the moment. Sure, the men might be outraged at what happened last night. But they were also insensitive men, and they had already moved on after a good night of sleep.

Like the men, Meryl had no problem moving on. Mai might have been swapped out unexpectedly, Orihime might have been voted out unexpectedly, but Meryl accepted these unfortunate facts with a brave face and a sensible mind. Her problem now was what happened _after _she moved on. She was stuck in a tribe where she didn't quite fit in. She no longer had allies who would protect her or comfort her. Worst of all, Faye – her sworn nemesis – was pulling all the stops to get Meryl voted out.

In short, life simply _sucked_.

_**Meryl: **__Losing Mai was an unpleasant surprise, but losing Orihime was a hundred times worse. She was my only friend in this game and it's going to feel really different without her around. Three days ago, I thought the Vixens were going to conquer this game. But now, I'm the only one left in my tribe._

In a confessional, she gave a dry laugh and buried her head into her knees.

_**Meryl: **__I wish I was a more gracious loser. But I'm not the type of person who can shrug my shoulders, smile optimistically, and say 'I'll never give up'. Because the truth is…I'm on the verge of quitting this game right now. I'm not a superwoman, and I don't know how long I can hold on anymore. Why…why does Survivor have to be so hard?_

She sat by herself for a while, mulling about nothing in particular. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a stranger's hand reached out and placed itself on Meryl's shoulder. It was a masculine hand with a strong, reassuring touch. For a brief moment, she even felt deeply comforted by this strange hand, as if it alone could sweep away all her problems. But soon, reality sank back in as Meryl turned around, where she saw Shannon Casull and his right hand on her shoulder.

"What brings you here?" Meryl asked.

"I was her friend too." Shannon muttered, feeling an obligation to explain his actions. The young swordsman might be a man of few words, but Meryl could spot a considerate gesture when she saw one.

"Thanks." Meryl flashed him a sincere smile.

Awkwardly, Shannon retracted his hand and took a distant seat beside Meryl. Neither of them said anything to each other, but their solemn silence was meaningful enough to substitute any words that might have taken place. Meryl somehow found comfort in this, because she knew deep down that Shannon _understood_. He was just as startled and affected by Orihime's abrupt departure last night. After all, he too developed a bond with the personable Orihime (though Meryl hated to acknowledge their friendship sometimes). Only Shannon could relate to how Meryl felt right now. He was a victim too.

It was as if they were two lonely souls who found some solace in each other over their connection with Orihime Inoue. Although Shannon and Meryl had some personality clashes so far in the game – he found her annoying and she found him quite dull – they were able to put aside these differences for a common cause. Meryl felt like she could confide in him, simply because a friend of Orihime's was a friend of hers. And after all, wasn't he the one who had approached Meryl first? Obviously, Shannon must have felt a little bit devastated to seek out Meryl this early in the morning.

The young swordsman might not be an expressive person, but it didn't mean he lacked emotions. Meryl figured this was Shannon's cry for help, underneath a much more subtle disguise. That hand on her shoulder might be an indication that he wanted companionship as much as she did. And if that was the case, perhaps it was in her best interest to reach out to Shannon and initiate something with him. At least that was how Meryl interpreted the situation anyway. Then again, she was so desperate for protection that she was willing to try anything.

"Shannon." Meryl hesitated at first, but cleared her throat as she gained more confidence in her voice. "Shannon, we need to talk."

Shannon didn't reply back, but he was definitely listening. Meryl could tell from the expression changing on his face.

"I'm done feeling sorry for myself." Meryl said with a determined look in her eyes. "I'm here to seek revenge."

Again, Shannon didn't say anything, keeping his thoughts to himself. His wordlessness now frustrated Meryl a little, but she continued her pitch anyway.

"We have to vote Faye out. I don't care how we do it, but she doesn't deserve to win the game. If you feel the same way about Orihime as I do, I know you'll see my point," said Meryl.

When it seemed like Meryl was finished talking, Shannon quietly pondered over his options as the anxious insurance agent waited for his response. He spoke up at last, wearing a pensive look on his face.

"You're voting Faye out for the wrong reasons. It's dangerous to think with your heart instead of your brain." Shannon muttered in a calm and almost soothing voice. "In this game, listening to your heart leads to many impulsive and foolish decisions."

"Faye voted Orihime out." Meryl said in an almost conclusive manner – as if those few words were enough to justify what she was going to say next. "And that means she has to go."

"It doesn't work that way." Shannon shook his head.

"Why are you making this so difficult for us?" Meryl buried her face into her hands. "What are you going to do, Shannon?"

"I'll give you an answer when we're truly alone." Shannon muttered.

"Huh? What do you mean – we are alone…" Meryl paused for a moment as she thought over his words. "Unless…unless you mean that someone is…"

Immediately, a suspicious Meryl glanced around her surroundings for any eavesdroppers. She couldn't identify any, but Shannon seemed to think that someone was hiding behind a bush, a tree, or somewhere nearby. And he was right, of course. Somebody had been listening to their private conversation. And this person just got caught.

"Show yourself!" Shannon demanded as he got up from his seat. His eyes were fixated on a particular tree in the forest. The tall swordsman raised his voice as he marched closer to his target. "I know you're hiding behind there. I just haven't said anything until now."

Reluctantly, Faye Valentine revealed herself from her hiding spot. Meryl did not seem impressed to see her.

"What are _you _doing here?" Meryl asked suspiciously.

"I am…making a trip to the water hole." Faye lied in an attempt to cover her tracks. She had been spying on Meryl and Shannon since they woke up this morning. It was typical shady behaviour expected from someone as devious as Faye. "I'm going to collect water."

"Empty-handed?" Shannon had noticed the bounty huntress wasn't carrying a pail or anything that could hold water. Faye came unprepared.

"I didn't know where the water hole was. I wanted to make sure its location first." Faye lied again.

"Getting water used to be Orihime's job, you know." Meryl said quietly, although her intent behind this remark remained unclear. "She was the one who went to the water hole everyday."

"Oh, not this again." Faye rolled her eyes. She was already losing her patience. "Look, Orihime isn't part of this tribe anymore. I'm taking over."

"The least you can do is to show a little remorse. She left because of you." Meryl shot her a bitter glare.

"Well, I've nothing to be sorry about. You sure as hell wouldn't be grieving if I got voted out last night, so why the double standards?" Faye folded her arms across her chest. "It's called self-perseverance, Meryl. And Orihime just happened to be the unfortunate victim. Don't blame me, blame the game."

"You could have voted out one of the guys." Meryl snapped. She was getting so caught up in the moment that she forgot Shannon was standing beside her, albeit as a silent bystander like always.

"We need their strength in challenges," said Faye coolly.

"We won _one_ challenge since the game started. And it was an eating challenge of all things. I don't see their strength as essential to the tribe." Meryl argued.

"You see only what you want to believe." Faye shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, but we simply won't be getting along." Meryl shook her head to reemphasize her point. "We'll never be friends."

"Good, because I never liked you anyway." Faye scoffed.

"Your true colours are showing now after a few days." Meryl was still shaking her head at the bounty huntress. "Faye Valentine, I find you conniving and false."

"I may be a false bitch, but at least I'm not out here plotting and strategizing behind everyone's backs. At least I'm not a hypocrite," said Faye.

With that as her final words, she turned around and left.

_**Faye: **__I know I look like a total bitch for voting Orihime out, but her demise was necessary for my survival. The chick had more power and influence around this tribe than she knew of. I got rid of a potential threat that nobody saw coming, while saving my own ass with the idol. Pretty sweet package if you ask me._

She shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant manner. It was clear she wasn't all that bothered by the fact she single-handedly caused Orihime to leave the game.

_**Faye: **__Any regrets? Well, a minor one. I'm annoyed that I had to use my idol this early in the game. I only found it a few days ago, back when I was in Jiraiya. If I still had it with me, I wouldn't be in jeopardy right now. Well, at least I still have Meryl to campaign against. At least I still have a chance to survive._

Just before Faye was out of earshot, she could hear the faint echo of Meryl's strict and unforgiving voice as she stated:

"So, it's decided. We're voting her out. Pronto."

Faye did not find out whether Shannon Casull accepted or declined this tempting offer until much, much later.

- - -

Might Guy did not look like he was a man with a hidden agenda.

On first glance, he was just an overly enthusiastic motivator and a harmless cheerleader for Jiraiya. Even on second and third glances, he was nothing more than an eccentric with a flamboyant personality. For somebody as transparent in their behaviour as Guy, it was difficult to imagine him with a strategic plan of any sort. Guy might be a challenge machine, a dedicated workhorse, and a survival expert, but he was simply not a strategist. After all, people like Guy were destined to fall and fail tragically in the game at some point, while the brilliant masterminds skate through to the end. This was an undeniable truth – the game of _Survivor _favoured brains over brawns.

Was this the reason why Kari aligned with Guy so early in the game, knowing fully well that the ninja was a bigger target and thus would shield her from all harm's way? It seemed like such an ideal combination, since he was the brawns and she was the brains. That was what Kari thought at the beginning, but as time passed, her views on Guy changed completely. It was because she learned a valuable lesson from him, one that she'll never forget as long as she played _Survivor_. The Konoha ninja taught her that appearances can often be very deceiving, especially those who appeared simple and naïve to the unsuspecting eye.

Might Guy might not look like he was a man who had a hidden agenda.

But he did.

"Kari, we need to vote out Harley." Guy had said to her a few days ago, when the two of them were gathering firewood in the forest.

"May I ask why?" Kari had asked in response.

"Because he's a cancer to the tribe." Guy had explained, keeping his voice to a soft secretive whisper. "He's the one who'll backstab us as soon as he gets an opportunity."

"Have you discussed this with Holland?" Kari asked.

"I hate to say this, but we can't trust Holland. He…" Guy paused in his statement and turned around, as if he was expecting Holland to be behind him all of a sudden. "He's looking out for himself. There's only two honest people in this tribe, and they're standing in this spot right now."

"Guy, what're you trying to do?" Kari asked curiously.

"I'm making sure Harley leaves at the next tribal council, with or without Holland's consent. I know the three of us have some type of agreement, but…" Guy replied with a faint smile. "Trust me."

_Trust me. _Those were the two words that Kari repeated to herself over and over again for the past few days. Can she trust Guy? Yes, of course, she trusted him the most out of everyone in Jiraiya. She trusted him when he told her to act as a mediator for Asuka and Bulma, so the two of them would no longer hold animosity against each other. She trusted him when he told her to show compassion to Asuka, not just out of human decency, but because Asuka can play a pivotal role in their plans. She even trusted him when he told her to distance herself from Harley, because he was the enemy and he was up to no good.

All this time, Guy had been slowly laying the groundwork to get Harley voted out from Jiraiya. Even as early on day six, he made comments in tribal council that pinpointed Harley's lack of contribution to the tribe, so little seeds can be planted in everyone's heads, thus tainting their perceptions of the Pokemon Coordinator (and also his partner in crime, Faye, but she was out of the picture for now). And from then on, he flattered Asuka with special attention when nobody else would, even going as far as promising her that she won't be voted out. Slowly but surely, he was winning over Asuka's trust. With his latest stunt of playing hero to the damsel in distress, he was certain that he had Asuka on his side.

All this time, Guy had a hidden agenda to get Harley voted out. And now, it was slowly coming to fruition. Only one tiny step remained before his ultimate goal can be achieved.

"We need to go to tribal council." Guy whispered to Kari in private this morning. "We need to lose the next immunity challenge."

_**Guy: **__I don't like throwing challenges. I think doing so will destroy the integrity of this game. But sometimes, you just have to look at the bigger picture and plan for the future. I know Harley is out to get me. I don't know when he'll do it, but he'll turn against Kari and me somewhere down the road. I just pick up little hints from his behaviour and his actions, and I know. I know I have to outsmart Harley before he does it to me first._

The Jonin rubbed his chin in a thoughtful manner.

_**Guy: **__Harley is just one challenge and one tribal council away from going home. The only thing in my way is my conscience. Can I really throw a challenge? Can I really lose immunity on purpose?_

Kari did a double take when she first heard those words coming out of Guy's mouth. She learned to expect the unexpected when dealing with the spontaneous and random Jonin, but she never thought he'd actually suggest they throw a challenge on purpose. She didn't like the sound of this plan at all. Losing was bad. Losing was _very _bad.

"Guy, we can't lose a challenge. We just can't." Kari shot him an uncomfortable look.

"But this is the perfect time to do it." Guy tapped his finger impatiently on his lap. "Faye is gone, Asuka and Bulma reconciled, and Jiraiya still outnumbers Tsunade. I calculated everything. This is the best time to get rid of Harley."

"It's so risky though. What if something goes wrong?" Kari sighed.

"We'll just have to gamble." Guy flashed Kari his 'nice guy' pose, which consisted of a toothy grin and an exaggerated thumbs-up gesture. "Didn't you know some Konoha ninjas consider luck a _skill_?"

"All it takes is one mistake and your plan will backfire," said Kari.

"And all it takes is one betrayal from Harley and I'll be going home at the merge." Guy reasoned. "We have to act now. I'm going to inform Asuka about the plan later tonight. She'll be thrilled that we saved her. After that, we'll just need to convince either Bulma or Holland to vote with us."

"But what if they _don't _vote with us?" Kari asked.

"My dear Kari, you need to start thinking more positively, like me! You aren't truly alive if you're always avoiding the optimistic side of life." Guy laughed heartily, almost as if he was dismissing Kari's warning like a funny joke. "Don't worry. I'm sure the fortune gods of Konoha are smiling upon us now."

Kari wished she could argue back, but found herself at a loss for words. What Guy was saying actually made some sense, but she still felt uncomfortable with the whole concept of throwing a challenge. In any case, she certainly didn't feel the gods of Konoha were smiling right now. In fact, they must be frowning in disapproval for what they were about to do.

She knew with all her wisdom that this was the wrong thing to do. She had listened and trusted Guy in the game for so long, but this was the first time she ever doubted his decision. Guy might be a smarter game player than he let on, but it didn't mean he was infallible. Even Guy can make a wrong judgment at times. But this mistake in particular was an enormous one and it can cost them both their games.

_**Kari: **__Guy is so focused on getting Harley out that he's not listening to reason. I don't like his idea at all. May be I'm just a worrywart, but so many things can go wrong if we go to tribal council. I mean, you know what they say about the best laid plans…_

She bit her lips to stop herself, as if saying more will actually make her words come true.

_**Kari: **__I wish I can consult this with another person. Really, anybody. I just want to be reassured that everything is going to be okay._

- - -

When Jiraiya arrived at the reward challenge, they had prepared themselves to expect the worst. It seemed like a foregone conclusion to them that Faye was a definite goner last night. In their minds, there was no possible way the bounty huntress could have survived such a doomed fate. Mai was almost positive that her tribe members would do the right thing by teaming up together despite their past conflicts. Even Harley was forced to admit that Faye could not dig herself out of a hole this deep.

"Just a casualty of some crap twist," said Holland earlier that day, as if he was giving an obituary on the bounty huntress. "She will be missed."

So, it came as a total surprise to them when Faye showed up at the reward challenge today, carrying a proud stance similar to that of an undefeated warrior. Jiraiya could not believe their eyes. Here stood the Singaporean beauty, looking slightly dishevelled, yet still in one piece nonetheless. Harley was overjoyed of course, barely containing his grin as he exchanged quick giddy glances with his ally on the other side. And in contrast, Mai looked devastated when she scanned her eyes throughout Tsunade, only to realize that a certain redhead was missing from the familiar crowd.

"For today's reward challenge, you'll be running a relay race…on a very special racetrack." Iruka smiled as he gestured his hand at the two lanes on the ground. "The entire racetrack is made of burning charcoal, from the start to the finish line."

Most of the castaways groaned in unison. Running on burning charcoal did not sound like an enjoyable experience at all.

"It's just a simple relay race though. It's very straightforward." Iruka said with a somewhat reassuring voice. "One runner from each tribe starts here, then they'll sprint forward until they reach the next checkpoint, where they'll pass the baton and the next runner will continue the race. The first tribe to cross the finish line will win the reward! So, want to know what you're playing for?"

Iruka pulled out a single can from his vest. But it was not any ordinary can that he was holding – it was a _beer _can.

"The winning tribe will get six dozens of fresh, cold beer delivered to their camp." Iruka barely finished his sentence before he was met with cheers and applause from the castaways. Suddenly, running on charcoal didn't sound _too _bad considering the prize. The host waited for the noise to quiet down before directing his next statement at the underage players in the game. "And I'm sorry to say, there're no non-alcoholic beverages offered. It's just beer."

"Oh darn." Kari said jokingly.

Kari and Bulma were chosen to sit out for Jiraiya, while the ten competing castaways were spread out across the track. Although the burning charcoal made this challenge potentially painful, the course itself was short and straightforward. There were no twists or turns, since the track was shaped in a straight line. The initial runners can even make out exactly where the finish line was from where they were standing. So, this was going to be a dash to the finish as opposed to a long marathon. Thus, the key to winning was running fast, fast, fast!

"Survivors ready?" Iruka said after handing out batons to Roy and Asuka, the starting runners. Both of them were barefoot, as were all the runners in this race. "This is for booze! Go!"

Roy and Asuka hopped on the burning charcoal and dashed off. The sensation of pain was immediate. Their feet were _scorching _in every step they took. One may think their pain would be numbed since they were running, but that in fact only made it worse. Asuka howled with pain as she ran forward, yelling out a chain of "oww ow oww ow owwww" all the way to the next checkpoint. Roy dealt with the pain more quietly, but looked uncomfortable nonetheless. Both runners arrived at their checkpoint around the same time, tagging their respective partners to continue the race.

The next to run were Meryl and Harley. Both of them cringed at the pain, but continued running nonetheless. Harley wasn't normally one of the better athletes, but he was blessed with a pair of long legs that covered more distance when he ran. In a simple footrace like this one, the petite Meryl just couldn't compete no matter how hard she tried. Her short stumpy legs were no match against Harley, who swiftly breezed past her and reached the next checkpoint first. He passed the baton to Mai and off she went.

"Go Jiraiya! You're doing great!" Kari cheered from the sidelines.

By the time Shannon received the baton from Meryl, the other tribe already gained a comfortable lead. He picked up the pace, knowing that Tsunade could not afford to fall behind. He obscured the pain in his feet and sprinted forward as fast as he can. Luckily, Mai stumbled a little along the way, almost tripping on a piece of misplaced charcoal in the track. Seizing this opportunity, Shannon increased his speed and narrowed down the gap between the two tribes. Jiraiya was still a little ahead of Tsunade at the next checkpoint, but they were getting closer.

However, the race might as well be over when the batons were passed to Faye for Tsunade and Guy for Jiraiya. Faye was just an afterthought, but it was Guy, classified challenge machine, that everyone feared in this race. As soon as he got that baton, he was just going to rip past everyone and almost literally _fly _to the next checkpoint. He was strong, he was fast, and he was dominant. It didn't help matters that Tsunade had been falling behind, so now the gap grew even wider and Tsunade's chances of winning grew even slimmer.

"You're almost there, guys! Keep at it!" Kari yelled.

"Don't fail me! I want the booze!" Bulma added.

Zolo waited impatiently at the final checkpoint with Holland. So far, a victory for Tsunade looked dire but not impossible. His opponent, Holland, might have been a star athlete during his prime, but his aging body was not in the same physical condition as it was before. In contrast, Zolo had a young, fresh, vigorous body that he earned from years of training and exercising. He believed that if he really, really put his heart into this, he would be able to outrun Holland and steal an upset victory for Tsunade.

_I can do it. _Zolo took a deep breath. _I know I can do it._

He watched Guy arrive at the checkpoint, hand over the baton, and tag Holland to finish the last stretch of the race. Zolo remained focused on Faye's figure from a distance. She was coming soon. Faye's agility obviously paled in comparison to Guy, but she was no slouch as a runner. Some seconds later, she arrived at the checkpoint and Zolo took off. All he had to do now was pass Holland and cross the finish line…

"Baton! The baton! Grab the stupid baton!" Faye shouted.

In his excitement to surpass Holland, Zolo forgot to retrieve the baton that each runner must carry during the race. He groaned as he ran back to grab it, wasting valuable seconds that could have made a big difference in the race. And those valuable seconds were exactly what cost Tsunade this challenge, because no matter how fast Zolo tried to run, he can no longer catch up to the other tribe. Holland was just a distant figure ahead who crossed the finish line with ease.

Seconds later, Zolo finished the race as well, but it was just a little too little too late. Those precious few seconds that he lost earlier gave Holland an easy cakewalk to the end. And now, victory belonged to Jiraiya once again.

Iruka made his official announcement and the Jiraiya tribe erupted into loud rambunctious cheers, but all these noises fell deaf to Zolo's ears. He was so angry that he couldn't hear anything, other than that annoying little voice in his head, telling him this was Tsunade's fifth loss out of six challenges. No matter how close they were each time, the outcome was always the same. Tsunade would always lose in the last second. They were always the losing tribe.

Out of frustration, Zolo punched his right fist into the ground. Never mind that his hand was now the same reddish coloured as his burnt feet, Zolo was so angry that he could punch anything or anybody.

He just didn't want to lose anymore.

He was done losing.

- - -

When Tsunade returned to camp from yet another challenge loss, the tribe morale was at the lowest as it had ever been. It was as if a wave of misery struck everyone in the face and they never recovered. Not one single smile was seen. Not one single word was spoken. Not one single glance was exchanged. When they lost before, at least they had Orihime saying quirky, but well-meaning things to cheer them up. Now they don't even have that tiny source of inspiration anymore. Tsunade was officially in the dumps.

"We need to frickin' do something!" Zolo exclaimed, breaking the everlasting sombreness in the tribe. "I'm sick of this! I don't understand why we lose so much!"

"They have Guy." Faye muttered in a bored voice. "There're a lot of weak people in that tribe, but Guy makes up for all of their faults and then some. Nobody really needs to compete when Guy does all the work for them. Trust me, I've been there."

"That's why it's such bullshit that we're losing! We're supposed to be the strong tribe! We have all the strong people here!" Zolo ranted.

"If Guy was on our tribe, Jiraiya wouldn't be dominating these challenges." Shannon agreed.

"Mai is an idiot for not choosing him to join us. What was she thinking?" Zolo growled.

"She is _not _an idiot." Meryl shot back.

"Well, yeah, she's on the winning tribe now. She must not be that stupid." Roy chuckled. One could always rely on him for a dose of sarcasm. "Come to think of it, she had a lot of foresight, that girl."

"I don't care. We need to stop this. We…we need to do something!" Zolo seethed with indignation. "They don't deserve to be drinking our beers! Come on, two of their girls can't even drink yet!"

"Yelling at the tribe is obviously doing us a lot of good." Faye muttered.

"You know what? We're taking the beers." Zolo said, letting Faye's remark fly over his head. "We're going to invade Jiraiya, raid their camp, and steal the beer. Yep, that's what we're doing tonight."

"You can't do that!" Meryl disputed at once. "That's…that's just low!"

"We're already at a low. We're so low, we're like at the _Navy scum _low." Zolo spat. The young pirate was a very stubborn man and once he had decided on a track of action, it was difficult to convince him otherwise. "And seriously, who cares if it isn't the right thing to do? This is survival of the fittest. Just because they _won _the reward, it doesn't mean they get to keep it."

"Hmm, it's not a bad idea. We could all use some pick-me-up at the moment." Roy nodded his head in agreement.

Meryl dropped her jaw at the two men's statements. She could not fathom how such a ridiculous plan can process through their heads. This kind of crazy nonsense she learned to expect from Zolo, but Roy too? Were they actually being serious? Raiding the other camp!? Stealing their reward!?

"I want to let you know, I'm not getting involved in any of this. Count me out." Meryl said, folding her arms across her chest.

"Good, you'll just get in the way." Zolo said, not out of malice, but it was his usual blunt attitude speaking. Meryl looked hurt, but kept quiet. "I don't want too many people coming with us. Two, may be three people should go. A big group of us will be troublesome. We'll get caught."

"How are you going there? You don't even know where the Jiraiya camp is," said Shannon.

"And remember, you've got no sense of direction whatsoever," added Meryl.

"She's coming with us." Zolo pointed his finger at an unfazed Faye. "She'll know the way."

"Sure." Faye shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose this could be kind of fun." She paused as she let an amused smirk crawl across her face. "It's _naughty _fun, my favourite kind."

"Mustang, you game?" Zolo glanced at the colonel.

"I'm in, but we need to plot this attack thoroughly. We can't stroll into their campsite and grab the beer without a plan of some sort." Roy said, with a hint of boyish delight in his voice. Going on this dangerous exploit appeared to be an exciting prospect for him. "We should go to their camp around midnight, when everyone is asleep. _Then_, we'll move in. Everything has to go smoothly. Under no circumstances can we be detected."

_**Zolo: **__Roy, Faye and I are going over to Jiraiya and we're stealing their beer. It's not actually about the beer, we're doing this to cause havoc in the other tribe. They had such an easy time in this game. No losses, no tribal councils, and no hidden immunity idols being played in the last minute…twice. We get all the bad shit thrown at us. No, that doesn't fly smooth with me. I think it's time for Jiraiya's little paradise to be disrupted._

The burly pirate smiled cockily at the camera.

_**Zolo: **__After tonight, this game is gonna get a little more nasty…_

It was past midnight. Every single Jiraiya tribe member was asleep, dreaming cosily inside the shelter. The only light illuminating the camp was the serene moonlight and a pair of lit torches moving in the forest. These two torches were held by Roy and Faye, walking adjacent to each other, but not speaking a word. Behind them was Zolo, who clutched a machete in each hand. The trio took extra precaution when traveling in the forest at night, because there were dangerous nocturnal animals lurking in the dark.

But for Jiraiya, the most dangerous animals tonight appeared in the form of three human beings, all were of the Tsunade species. They had been planning this attack ever since they lost the reward challenge. And now the plan was going into motion.

"I see the beer. It's in the cooking area." Faye whispered to her two men.

"How many can we fit in the pot?" Roy asked. By his feet was Tsunade's black cooking pot. He brought it here for the purpose of transporting as many cans of beer as possible.

"Enough for them to notice the beer is missing." Zolo replied in a low grunt. "Ready, guys?"

Roy and Faye nodded their heads. They extinguished the flames on their torches. And off went the three thieves.

They carefully tiptoed towards the camp's kitchen, a small designated area containing all the cooking utensils and food supplies. Earlier, someone brought up the idea of stealing Jiraiya's food for the fuller damage, but that was where Zolo drew the line. "Starving a tribe is dirty playing," reasoned Zolo. He justified his actions tonight because beer was not a necessity like food. Despite this questionable logic, Tsunade agreed they would not lay hands on anything but the beer. After all, they were just here for troublemaking, and not because they wanted to intentionally harm the tribe.

"We're troublemakers, not assholes." Faye laughed in a confessional. "Well, may be we're assholes, but not _evil _assholes. There's a difference."

They found the beers placed on a log, neatly next to a few ripe fruits and some dirty dishes. There were a few empty cans lying around, but the beer supply was intact for the most part. Zolo smiled as he made the first grab, suddenly tempted to drink it on the spot. His common sense go the better of him, and he began loading the beer into the cooking pot. Faye was helping him, but she seemed more intent on gazing around her old campsite in a sweet longing manner, like an adult reminiscing about her childhood home.

"They're sleeping." Roy confirmed. The cautious colonel was darting glances at the shelter every now and then. "Hurry up."

The cooking pot was full of beers by now and Faye was already carrying an armful, yet Zolo insisted on bringing more. He grabbed a few and shoved them down his pants – not the classiest way of storing things, but a useful method nonetheless. They also put so many beers into their pockets that they were bulging, and it was difficult to move without making a sound. They actually had to unload some beers first before they can walk around again.

"I think we got enough." Faye whispered. "Let's just go."

"Stop." Roy muttered, reaching his arm out to prevent Zolo and Faye from walking.

He glanced at the shelter, where he could see a certain person arising from his or her slumber. Roy could not make out who this person was, but he knew this will turn into a disastrous situation if they got caught. Zolo and Faye realized the same thing, so all three of them stood motionless on the spot. They made no sounds or movements, other than their rapid heartbeats pounding faster by every second.

In the shelter, a half-awake Mai Valentine studied her seemingly empty campsite. She thought she heard a noise, a man's voice to be exact. The voice sounded familiar in her head, although Mai can't seem to remember what the spoken words were. Perhaps she was dreaming? The blonde shook her head and lied down on the floor again. It was nothing, she reassured herself. And soon, she drifted back to sleep.

Roy would sigh in relief at the close call, but he first wanted to leave the Jiraiya campsite immediately. The longer they stayed here, the more anxious he felt. Although the three Tsuande thieves were in a rush, they knew not to hustle in fear of doing something wrong. It was better to leave camp in the slow and cautious manner that they entered. If they ran off in a hurry, a stupid mistake was bound to be made.

Or at least that was what Roy thought, but then he saw Mai rising up again.

And it was then all discreetness went out the window. Roy just wanted to get his ass out of this tribe _now_!

"Run!" Roy whispered hurriedly to his tribe members, but they were already steps in front of him, making a run for it before getting caught. And the three of them disappeared into the forest, carrying their pot, their unlit torches, and of course their _loot _all the way back to the Tsunade campsite. Once they arrived, they would crack open a few beers and celebrate over their success. Mission accomplished.

_**Zolo: **__We were close, but we didn't get caught. Barely. It'd be pretty weird if Mai was the one who caught us stealing from Jiraiya. Anyway, we got ourselves some beer and we're going to live it up tonight. Tonight is the night we got our spark back. And starting from now, we'll rebuild Tsunade into the strong, victorious tribe that we're meant to be._

Meanwhile, Mai glanced around her empty campsite, this time certain that she heard sounds like shuffled footsteps in the distance. But once again, she could not see anything or anybody in the pitch black darkness. May be it was an animal lost in the woods, or may be she was just hallucinating from a lack of sleep. Either way, Mai was sick of waking up all of a sudden for no apparent reason. She just wanted to go back to sleep.

And so she did. Fortunately for her, this was the last time she would be rudely awoken for the rest of the night.

But come tomorrow morning, Mai Valentine was in for another rude awakening.

Because she was going to be made as the tribe's scapegoat for something that she had not done at all.

- - -

**DAY 14**

Two weeks ago, Asuka expected to win this game. Now, her ego was deflated and her standards were lowered, so she would be glad if she survived until the merge. Asuka can blame the tribal arrangements, her tribe members, or the _Survivor _producers, because in her high opinion of herself it was not her fault that she was made a defenceless outsider. Yet, even Asuka cannot delude herself into thinking that she had a desirable position in Jiraiya. She was a marked target for the past two weeks and she knew it. Her fate was completely sealed.

Until now.

If there was an angel sent from the heavens to rescue Asuka, then he was a six-foot-four angel with thick black eyebrows and an ugly bowl-shaped haircut. Last night, Guy informed Asuka about his plan to vote Harley out and the ecstatic teenager agreed to it without hesitation. It seemed that Guy was really a man of his word. He was actually going to fulfill the promise he made to her a week ago. And it was not just Guy and Asuka against the world, but Kari was involved in this as well. Asuka genuinely believed the three of them together can shake the whole game upside down.

"Asuka, can I talk to you for a second?" Kari asked as she joined the redhead on the hike to retrieve treemail.

"Yes, yes! Guy told me everything last night! I can't believe it…we're going to vote out Harley! I'm so stoked!" Asuka grinned widely at the DigiDestined. "You know, I thought I wouldn't make the merge short of a miracle and an immunity streak."

"Errr…yeah." Kari cringed a little, but she hid her reaction well. "I wanted to talk to you about something else."

"I feel really rejuvenated right now, just so you know." Asuka laughed, "I can't believe I'm not a goner. I actually have a chance at this. It's so frickin' crazy!"

_**Asuka: **__Guy and Hikari could have voted me out like everyone else, but they're taking a gamble and they're saving me instead. Hearing this news has made my day, my week, my year! I felt down and defeated until now, but the fight in me is back. I'm ready to kick ass and take names again!_

The redhead teenager smirked at the camera.

_**Asuka: **__To be honest, I owe a lot to Guy and Hikari, which is fine because they're the only two I can stand in Jiraiya anyway. They're like my saviours in this game. They can give me life as quickly as they can take it away from me. I've no choice but to stick with them. I'm totally at their mercy._

Asuka and Kari found a secluded spot in the forest before continuing their conversation, and only after they made sure that nobody was following them or eavesdropping nearby. Kari seemed extremely nervous, but Asuka was too self-confident to notice a change in her behaviour.

"It's about the challenge. Are you okay with throwing it?" Kari asked.

"You bet your ass I am!" Asuka chuckled. "Hell, I'll throw all the challenges as long as I'm safe from the vote."

"But that's the thing. I don't think we should lose on purpose. It just feels…_wrong_," said Kari, with a hint of shakiness in her voice.

"What're you talking about? This is an opportunity of a lifetime!" Asuka exclaimed.

"Nothing is going to change if we delay this tribal council for a few more days." Kari muttered, "We'll still be on your side."

"A lot can happen in three days." Asuka grunted. Her words suddenly sounded a lot harsher and sharper than before. "It's now or never."

"I'm scared though. I don't like going to tribal council." Kari shuddered.

"You worry too much. Everything is going to be fine!" Asuka said this with such confidence that Kari almost wished it was a factual statement. "We only need Bulma or Holland to vote with us, right? Piece of cake."

That in theory was true, but Kari was still not convinced they can make such a dangerous move without it backfiring in their faces. Unfortunately, Asuka followed the same blind logic as Guy and can only see what she wanted to see. Kari felt like she was the only one preventing them from committing a critical game blunder.

"I can tell you're not satisfied. What're you thinking, Hikari?" Asuka folded her arms across her chest.

"I…I don't know. I'm really confused." Kari shook her head, looking very frustrated at the moment. "May be we should discuss this with Holland first. He is our _leader _after all."

"So, you don't know what to think unless somebody tells you," said Asuka.

"N-n…no. Of course not." Kari sounded somewhat offended at the remark. "I can think for myself."

"Then screw Holland. Who cares about what he thinks?" Asuka scoffed. "He can call himself the king of Jiraiya for all I care, but he doesn't need to know shit about our plans. All we need from Holland is his vote."

"Yeah, but…" Kari mumbled.

"Stop. Just stop. You're overanalyzing this. Stop worrying and relax." Asuka sighed. She patted Kari's shoulders a few times in an attempt to comfort her. "May be we need to crack a few beers so you can chill out."

"Asuka, we aren't allowed to drink!" Kari laughed nervously.

"Nobody has to know." Asuka wore a mischievous smile on her face. "We'll sneak two beers from the kitchen and drink them when nobody's watching. You know you wannnnnt to."

"Asuka!"

"C'mon, let's go!"

_**Kari: **__If Holland and Bulma don't vote with us, then we're in trouble. If they find out that we're throwing the challenge, then we're in even more trouble. This whole plan has been trouble from the start, and I wish we could avoid it somehow. If we don't rock the boat, we aren't going to sink. We can get rid of Harley some other time._

The petite DigiDestined sighed in frustration.

_**Kari: **__Losing a challenge is supposed to be a lot easier than winning one. If that's the case, why am I finding this so difficult?_

- - -

While a coup was rapidly gaining momentum behind his back, Holland Novak remained oblivious to his changing surroundings. Of course, strategy became an afterthought when all he needed to do was win the immunity challenges. The recent streak of victories made Holland feel pretty secure within the tribe, so he had not put too much thought about his position as the Jiraiya leader. And why should he have any doubts, considering he had a solid pact with Guy and Kari that will last through the game. And on top of that, he was also well respected by everyone else in the tribe. The only exception was the troublesome Asuka, who was too much of a rebel to follow Holland's lead. Even so, she was virtually powerless, so Holland should have nothing to worry about.

Yet, little did Holland know that the rebellious Asuka found a new replacement leader in her tribe. And her two closest allies were now making secret plans on their own without any of his input. Holland no longer had an iron grip over his tribe members as he used to have. And if he ever discovered about these scandalous developments, he was in for an enormous shock.

But for now, Holland remained in blissful ignorance as he slept through the fourteenth morning, dreaming peacefully about his family and friends in the Gekko State. He wondered how Talho was coping without a husband by her side. She had been furious at Holland for abandoning his responsibilities, especially their child, in order to compete in some stupid game show. Part of Holland cannot deny the accusations that he was a poor husband and a poor father, because he should be spending quality time with his family instead of roughing it in the wilderness. However, he knew that raising a family was not a cheap business. And running a high-profile organization like Gekko State came with many costly expenses. Winning the one million dollars could really help ease Holland's financial burdens back home.

_Oh, Talho…_Holland thought in his slumber.

An image of his beloved wife appeared in his dream, looking as youthful and vibrant as ever. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his waist as the two of them rode on a ref board, surfing towards the glorious sunlight. This was their first date together. This was the first time he fell in love with a woman.

_Oh Talho, I wonder what underwear you're wearing today…_

What started as a sweet, innocent dream about his wife somehow evolved into a steamy and raunchy fantasy. But before his dream can progress any further, he was awoken by two angry, bickering voices all of a sudden. Holland immediately recognized one of the voices, which belonged to Asuka.

Which naturally meant the other person was Bulma. Same old, same old. Holland sighed to himself as he slowly climbed out of the shelter. After a few days of peace and quiet, the two women were back to arguing again.

"What's going on?" Bulma asked, stepping out of the shelter and joining Holland. She stretched her arms out and yawned. "What's all the commotion about this early in the morning?"

A very surprised Holland rubbed his eyes to confirm that he was actually awake. He even pinched his cheek just to be sure. Yet, the inventor was still there, standing next to him. Naturally, he thought Asuka must be arguing with Bulma once again, since it was almost like a daily routine in Jiraiya from the first day. But if Bulma was right beside him, then _who _was Asuka arguing with now?

"Let's go find out." Holland grumbled.

Holland and Bulma arrived at the kitchen to find Asuka and Mai currently in a heated confrontation. Kari was there as well, standing next to Asuka, with her head pointed at the ground and looking very uncomfortable. It was difficult to hear what was being argued about, since the two women's voices overlapped each other. It wasn't until Holland intervened before they stopped yelling and started explaining.

"_This _bitch is stealing our beers. Kari and I caught her red-handed!" Asuka shot an accusing glare at the blonde. "Just look at the kitchen. Over half of it is gone!"

Holland gazed over their beer cans and made a quick count. Indeed, the amount seemed to be significantly less this morning than yesterday. He turned to Asuka and Mai once again, seeking for more details.

"I'm totally innocent. I've no idea what's going on. I just woke up a minute ago and I walked to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, right? That's when I noticed the beer was missing. So, I started to count them." Mai explained. "I pick one up and Asuka saw me, and now she thinks I'm the one who's uh..._stealing _the beers somewhere!"

"You _are _stealing! All I know is that when Kari and I got back to camp, over half the beers is gone and we saw Mai holding a can in her hand." Asuka snarled. "I bet she has a secret stash hidden around somewhere. I just know it. She has _guilty _eyes."

"Hold on there, little Sherlock Holmes." Mai shook her head and laughed. "I only picked up a can of beer and you saw me. That's hardly enough evidence to call me a thief. I didn't do it! I swear on my life I didn't do it!"

"I always knew the new girl can't be trusted." Asuka ignored Mai's previous remark and made a face. "She's one of _them_. She's one of those sneaky bitches from Tsunade!"

"You aren't even listening to me, are you?" Mai rolled her eyes.

_**Mai: **__I'm so pissed off right now, because I got blamed for something I didn't do. Asuka was barking at me like some rabid dog, because I'm the newcomer and I'm supposed to be the bad guy, right? She was going like, 'Mai did it! Mai did it! Burn the witch! Burn the witch!'_

In her imitation of Asuka, the blonde waved her arms up in the air and pretended to throw a tantrum.

_**Mai: **__And I'm like, 'Shut up, you little brat. I'm totally innocent, except that you're too stubborn to realize it'. Ugh, she's so annoying. I just hope the others aren't stupid enough to believe her as well._

"Let's face it, Mai. You hid the beers and you got caught!" Asuka sneered smugly at Mai. "You just showed your true colours in front of the whole tribe. You're a cheating, lying _whore_!"

"Wow! That was totally unnecessary." Mai was still laughing, but she now sounded more agitated than before. "I refuse to let you question my character like that. I know I'm innocent, the cameras know it, and the real criminal knows it too. That's it, I said my piece. Blame me if you still want to. Whatever."

"Come on!" Asuka scoffed. She turned to Holland for reassurance. "You can't seriously believe she's telling the truth, right?"

"I believe Mai." Holland shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, you're a dumbass." Asuka scoffed. "I'm not stupid, Holland. I know your perverted brain stops working once you see a gigantic pair of breasts. And really, that's the purpose of Mai Valentine in this tribe, isn't she? She dresses in skimpy clothes and parades around camp with her boobs hanging out, and all the men are supposed to fall on their knees for her."

"Excuse me! The way I dress has nothing to do with my character. There's no need to bring it up to make me feel bad about myself." Mai now sounded really pissed off at Asuka. "I don't need you to tell me what kind of person I am. I know I'm a good person with a big, open heart. And I don't need your opinions or your remarks about anything in my life."

"Being friends with Harley shows exactly what kind of _good _person you are." Asuka rolled her eyes.

"Shut up! Enough is enough!" Holland raised his voice, cutting off Asuka before she can continue her insults. "Apologize to Mai immediately!"

"No!" Asuka turned her attention at Holland and glared at him. "Because everything I said is the truth. And the truth hurts."

"Apologize to her now." Holland repeated in an even sterner voice than before.

But again, the stubborn Asuka shook her head.

"Can we just drop the matter, please?" Kari asked, who sounded very quiet and meek among all these loud voices. "It doesn't matter who stole the beers. I think it's silly to have a big argument because of this."

"It's not about the beers anymore. It's her _attitude_. I'm fed up with that childish, immature, spiteful, unpleasant, arrogant attitude of Asuka!" Holland shouted angrily. "For the past two weeks, she has been nothing but a miserable little girl who whines and screams whenever she doesn't get her way. I'm sick of her! Grow up, Asuka! Just grow up!"

"And I know you're a perfect human being, Holland, with all your shit…" Asuka spat bitterly.

"You still don't get it. You still don't know what you did wrong. You still don't know that you're not always right!" Holland yelled.

"Don't yell at me! You're not my father!" Asuka raised her fist at the Jiraiya leader, but he didn't flinch at all.

"I've had enough of you, Asuka." Holland shook his head and laughed. "You're going home."

"Go ahead! Make my day!" Asuka threw her arms up in the air and stomped away.

Kari looked like she wanted follow after Asuka, but remained still in her spot. Holland looked like he wanted to calm down, but he was still fuming under his breath. And Bulma looked like…well, she looked like she was glad she wasn't involved in an argument with Asuka for once in her life.

_**Holland: **__I lost my temper today, but I can't put up with Asuka any longer. She needs to leave this tribe immediately. She's not a team player, she argues with everyone in the tribe, and she has been a constant negative energy to Jiraiya. I'd rather keep Mai around than spend three more days with Asuka and her hissy little fits._

The Jiraiya leader was speaking very rapidly in his speech pattern, which he only did when he was venting angrily about something or somebody.

_**Holland: **__I've made up my mind. Nobody can stop me. The second we go to tribal council, I'm voting Asuka's ass out and I won't be subtle about it at all._

"May be you were being too harsh on her? She's still a kid, after all." Bulma shrugged her shoulders. As a quick afterthought, she added, "Although I'm not one to speak."

"Being a kid doesn't excuse her nasty behaviour. When she started attacking Mai like that, I just about lost it." Holland shook his head.

"Ah, I'm strong." Mai smiled weakly at the leader. "I can deal with it."

"But uh…Holland, you don't really mean what you said earlier, right?" Kari asked with uncertainty. "You don't really want to vote Asuka out next, do you?"

"I was being very serious." Holland glared at the petite DigiDestined. "If we go to tribal council next time, I'm voting Asuka out."

Kari Kamiya now wished she stepped in earlier to stop the argument between Asuka and Mai from escalating to such ugly proportions. It had taken her by surprise when Asuka suddenly started yelling at Mai the moment they returned to camp. Then Kari just watched and watched without being able to get a word in. Only when Holland intervened did the argument stop, but by then it was too late. Holland's opinion on Asuka had never been favourable and this happened to be the last straw.

Holland was now definitely voting Asuka out, even though he was the all-important fourth vote in Guy and Kari's plans. And there was no way they could convince Mai to align with Asuka or turn against Harley, so they can't depend on her vote either. So, the only possible option left was Bulma…

The same Bulma who was close friends with Harley…

The same Bulma who had been arguing with Asuka for the past two weeks…

The same Bulma who must vote with Guy, Kari and Asuka in order for Harley to leave at tribal council tomorrow…

What were the chances of convincing Bulma to join their side? Kari didn't know, but she can already sense that the odds were not in their favour.

- - -

Without knowing what their actions had stirred up in Jiraiya, Roy, Faye and Zolo were enjoying some of their stolen goods in the mid-afternoon. It had been a lazy afternoon today, since there were no challenges and all the necessary camp chores were already completed. That was no excuse for Shannon to stop, who began collecting the firewood for tomorrow. Nor did the equally hard-working Meryl, who was busy washing clothes by the waterfall for the second time today. But for the rest of Tsunade, the work was finished and it was now time to sit back and relax. Or in Faye's case, it was now time to start _campaigning_.

"I'm going to take a bath." Faye announced loudly, after taking the last sip of her beer.

She glanced at the two men, who had not given her any responses. Feeling a little bit annoyed, Faye continued with a more direct approach.

"Roy, want to keep me company?" Faye asked with a sly smile on her face. "It can get awfully dangerous for a girl to go into the forest all by herself."

"Well, I do like a woman who knows what she wants." Roy grinned, while Faye gave him a playful slap on the back. "And I can't say no if you keep on begging me to go with you."

"How about you, Mr. Swordsman? You look like you need a bath." Faye joked.

Zolo lied on the ground, with his arms at the back of his head. He seemed to be asleep, which was indicated by his occasional snores, but Faye knew better. She was certain that he was faking it, as the pirate sometimes did when he didn't feel like socializing with other people.

So, Faye crawled over to Zolo and began tickling his feet.

"No, I'm not going!" Zolo grumbled, trying to shake Faye's hands off his feet. For somebody who acted so masculine and intimidating all the time, he felt pretty embarrassed to admit that he was ticklish. "No, st-stop, no!"

"Just checking." Faye said with a delightful tone in her voice. She got up and walked away, with Roy shaking his head and following behind her. As they were leaving, Zolo opened one eye to watch the two of them depart into the forest. For some reason, he found something strange with this visual, yet he couldn't describe it with an intelligible thought.

Roy and Faye, two immensely attractive people who will no doubt make beautiful babies if together, alone in the forest, taking a bath with each other by the secluded waterfall, both in states of near-nudity…

_Hell no! Don't go there! _

Zolo shook his head to rid of the dirty thoughts and went back to sleep.

_**Zolo: **__I noticed Roy and Faye are spending a lot of time together lately, and it's starting to make me feel suspicious. Faye is just like Mai, they both latch onto the closest man they can find. Roy isn't as bad as Kurz, but he's still a bit of a playboy at heart. Yeah, Roy and Faye together make a dangerous combination. The two of them are master manipulators, so it's kind of amusing to watch how their relationship will turn out._

He flashed a small roguish smile at the camera.

_**Zolo: **__Am I worried about Roy? Yes and no. He has his shady moments, but I trust his judgment. Then again, who knows what they're doing out there in that big forest? I…uh, I don't want to know._

By the time Roy and Faye arrived at the waterfall, Meryl finished washing her clothes and was out of sight. Faye was pleased to discover this, since she was keen on avoiding any ugly confrontations with the feisty insurance agent. Right now, Faye only had eyes for Roy and he only had eyes for her. And it wasn't because Faye had just stripped off her clothes and was skinny dipping by the waterfall. Roy can control himself quite maturely in front of a naked woman, thank you very much, although he can't deny the sight was a very pleasant one.

The handsome colonel was a bit more modest in his attire and wore a pair of shorts when he joined Faye in the water. He tried swimming closer to her, but she was swimming away from him, almost like a game of aquatic tag. And when he tried to stop approaching her, she would purposely draw herself towards him. She was like the bait on a fishing rod, tempting Roy to lose his guard and take the bite. He resisted of course, but it was difficult. She knew what he wanted, and she was teasing him with something he cannot attain.

"Can you help me with the soap?" Faye asked, waving a bar of soap in the air, which was won during the _Survivor _auction some time ago.

Roy grinned and shook his head to himself. There she was, tempting him once again. Just like what the snake had said to Eve. Just like what the spider had said to the fly. Should he take the bait?

He started swimming towards her, and predictably, she swam away.

"I changed my mind." Faye laughed, still waving the soap in the air.

"Are you having fun?" Roy asked. He had stopped chasing her now. He knew it was pointless anyway.

"Oh yeah." Faye smiled artfully at him. She began to rub the soap on her arm in a seductive manner. "It's fun being a cocktease."

"Mai is an amateur compared to you." Roy grinned. "She eats men for breakfast, but you devour them as your appetizer."

"Now there, don't make me out to be some kind of scarlet woman. I'm not like that." Faye frowned as she turned her back on the colonel.

"I didn't say you were." Roy said with a raised eyebrow. He had enough experience with women to notice a sudden shift in the atmosphere. Faye was noticeably colder with him now than a few minutes ago. "If I offended you with anything…"

"It's just that I always get misunderstood. People always pass judgment on me before they even know me." Faye muttered quietly.

Roy didn't know how to respond to her statement, so he kept quiet like any wise man would.

"I'm so tired, Roy. I'm tired of this game, tired of these people, tired of being _me_." Faye lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper. "Sometimes, I just want to end it all."

And then, without warning, Faye dove deep into the water, disappearing from sight completely.

Roy waited for a minute or so, but the bounty huntress still had not surfaced after all this time. And now, he was beginning to feel worried. What if something had happened to her underwater? What was she trying to do anyway? Feeling concerned, the colonel began swimming towards the spot where he last saw Faye.

All of a sudden, his left leg lost all feeling. It went numb.

Roy instantly crashed into the water, but he realized his leg wasn't going numb. Instead, it was actually being tugged by something underneath. And of course, as if Roy had not figured out by now, it was Faye Valentine yanking at his leg in the water, giving him a big scare. She had meant to pull his shorts down, but she grabbed his leg by mistake. Roy instantly shook off her grasp and swam away.

"I can't believe you fell for that!" Faye had surfaced from the water and was now laughing hysterically at the colonel. "You're such a sucker!"

"I thought something happened to you!" Roy frowned.

"I can hold my breath under water for a long time." Faye winked at him. She was still laughing, perhaps even harder now since Roy was actually annoyed. "You know, you scream like a little girl when you're scared. You were like _ahhhhh!_"

"You're mean. I don't want to play with you anymore," said Roy. Despite his words, the frown on his face eventually evolved into a half-annoyed, half-joking smile.

"Who can imagine the legendary ladies man, Roy Mustang, can be defeated?" Faye smiled as she swam towards the colonel, so that their faces were only inches apart. "Defeated by the hands of a woman."

Then, they paused. All fell silent except the sounds of their pounding heartbeats, mixed with the rhythmic splashes coming from the waterfall in a faraway distance. Because both Faye and Roy now acknowledged that their lips were very close to each other, so close that it only took one motion for there to be intimate contact. Roy waited. And Faye also waited. But neither of them made the final move.

It was Roy who pulled back first, distancing him from Faye. She eventually responded, and backed herself as well.

"Faye," Roy turned to address the bounty huntress after a long moment of silence. "Your breath smells."

Faye instantly burst into laughter, as did Roy around the same time. What used to be a long suspenseful silence seconds ago was now replaced by guffaws of laughter, which could be heard through the waterfall, and which could be echoed through the forest. Their joyous laughter continued quite some time, filling the emptiness of the waterfall, filling the emptiness of the forest, and filling the emptiness of their hearts.

_**Roy: **__Whenever I'm with Faye, there's no romance. It's all about the sex. It's like hardcore sex in the waterfall, and hardcore sex in the jungle, and hardcore sex under the moonlight. It's sex, sex, and more sex twenty-four-seven. You'd think two people can't make love this many times, but that woman is unbelievable!_

He shook his head for a few seconds until he couldn't keep up his charade and let out a wide, boyish grin. The cameraman and producer laughed as well, once they realized Roy had been joking all along. It was difficult to distinguish his sense of humour from his words sometimes.

_**Roy: **__I don't know. What do you want me to say? We're just friends. This game is all about socializing and I'm doing my part right. What Faye thinks I don't know, but I can't imagine her falling madly in love with me. Although it must be tempting, I admit._

Some time later, they were finished bathing, swimming, or whatever they were doing in the waterfall, and it was now time to head back. Faye was getting dressed, and Roy, fully dressed, was waiting for her at the entrance of the forest. He watched her, quite unconsciously, as he thought about the enigma that was Faye Valentine.

"Stop staring at my ass," said Faye as she slipped on a shirt.

"I wasn't staring at you." Roy lied. A faint blush coloured his cheeks for a moment, and it lingered longer than he would like. Blushing? Him? Roy Mustang? But Roy Mustang was a man who never blushed. Yet, in front of Faye, Roy had been acting like a naive little boy as opposed to an experienced womanizer. What was this new sensation inside of him?

"Yeah, whatever." Faye smirked at the colonel as if she could see right through him.

"You know, I'm quite impressed with your behaviour today." Roy changed the subject, as he always did when he didn't like where the conversation was going. "We were alone with nobody watching. Yet, strategy didn't come across us once. I really expected you to make an alliance or a deal with me, so I'm pretty surprised you haven't mentioned anything."

"I like to be unpredictable." Faye simply replied, shrugging. "It's not fun if you can guess what I'm going to do next."

"I better watch out." Roy laughed at the response. He was even more fascinated, even more entranced with the bounty huntress than ever before. "I think I'm starting to fall for you, Faye Valentine."

"They all do, my dear." Faye said, smiling a little to herself. "They all fall for me in the end."

- - -

By the end of the day, Holland was feeling quite pleased with himself. He managed to get both Harley and Mai to agree on voting Asuka out at the next tribal council, which meant there were already three votes in the bag. He had not spoken to Bulma yet, but he found it difficult to believe she would keep her nemesis around any longer. As for Guy and Kari, he was almost positive his trustworthy friends will be on his side, but it never hurt to receive confirmation. So, Holland went to talk with Guy and Kari during the night, not knowing that his allies had other plans in mind.

"So, if we lose the immunity challenge tomorrow, we'll vote Asuka out." Holland said, coolly glancing at his two allies. "Is that okay with you guys?"

_If we lose the immunity challenge tomorrow_. Kari almost wanted to laugh. Not out of irony, but out of sheer nervousness. Holland said the word _if _like it was an uncertainty, almost like there was the tiniest possibility for Jiraiya to win the immunity challenge tomorrow. But no, Guy had made up his mind already. Jiraiya was going to lose for certain.

Now, it was just a matter of _who _will get voted out tomorrow.

"I don't know, Holland. Is it the right move?" Guy asked, rubbing his chin and pretending as if he was questioning this decision on the spot. In reality, he was already determined to take Harley out of the game tomorrow no matter what.

"I thought about that too. May be we should vote Mai out so Tsunade will be crippled down to four." Holland nodded his head. "But then again, may be the fact that they voted one of their own over Faye was a sign. May be we should return the favour. Because quite honestly, I think Asuka is more of a detriment to Jiraiya than Mai is."

_**Holland: **__If we lose the immunity challenge, we'll vote Asuka out. That's simple enough. I think it's going to be unanimous vote, really. One thing I won't do, however, is to throw the immunity challenge. Because I can't take anything for granted in this game. I'd rather avoid going to tribal council unless absolutely necessary, even if it means I'll have to live with Asuka for a few more days._

Holland wondered if he will regret what he just said later in the game, but he was not a man who went back on his words. He was not desperate enough to want Asuka to immediately leave the game. In the grander scheme of things, he would much rather see Tsunade get weakened even more.

_**Holland: **__This is the most important immunity for Asuka yet. If she doesn't win it, she's going home._

However, Might Guy did not share Holland's perspective on throwing challenges or on who the next person going home was. He worked too hard in the past two weeks to get Harley voted out of the game, but now it was falling apart just because Holland changed his mind? No, Guy was not normally a stubborn man, but there were certain battles he will fight to the end. And this was one of them. If Harley didn't get voted out now, there was no other time.

"I was thinking that we should vote Harley out instead of Asuka." Guy said, coming right out of the bush. He had never been very delicate with words, so he lacked the ability to sound subtle in his words.

"Why Harley? He hasn't done anything wrong." Holland made a strange face.

"He doesn't contribute at the challenges, and he doesn't do a lot of work around camp. I think he's the _least _deserving person to make it this far in the game." Guy tried explaining, but Holland still did not look convinced.

"Harley might not do a lot, but at least he's not purposely harming the tribe." Holland shook his head. "Asuka has been arguing with everyone, Asuka has been voting against the majority, Asuka has been acting by herself without being a team player. Her actions have harmed our tribe morale and our ability to work as a tribe."

"But Asuka is changing. She's trying to correct her past wrongs." Guy insisted.

"I don't see any changes in her behaviour." Holland shrugged his shoulders. "She's still a self-important brat."

"Kari thinks we should vote Harley out too," said Guy. He needed reinforcement to help him fight this losing battle, and the petite DigiDestined had been very quiet until now. "Don't you, Kari?"

She shot an annoyed glance at the ninja, not liking how she was being thrown into the fray all of a sudden. If Kari can have her way, she would much rather stay quiet and passive without inputting her opinion either way.

"Is that true, Kari?" Holland raised his eyebrow, sounding a bit shocked.

"Well, he has been a bit…_insincere _lately." Kari admitted.

"Right! I don't like the way he has been warming up to Mai like he's her next best friend." Guy nodded his head eagerly. "Holy Konoha, that man is such a snake!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I still don't see why we should vote Harley out over Asuka." Holland grumbled.

With a soft sigh, Kari dropped her head in defeat. She knew this plan wouldn't work from the beginning. There was no way to talk Holland out of something he had already decided, especially since he held such animosity against Asuka. Kari shot Guy a glance, hinting at him that they should stop while they were ahead. Reluctantly, Guy agreed with her, realizing that it was too late to persuade Holland now. May be they could have convinced him yesterday, but after today's argument, there was no way. There was simply no way Holland was voting anyone but Asuka at tribal council.

"I'm sensing some disagreement from you guys." Holland narrowed his eyes at Guy and Kari. "Is there something going on? Are we still together? Are you two still going to vote Asuka?"

Kari swallowed nervously, as did Guy. Because now they either had to make a commitment, or they will have to lie their butts off to fool Holland. Neither Kari nor Guy liked to lie, because they were both honest people who were supposed to stay true to their words. Here was Holland, demanding loyalty from the two of them, and neither was able to provide him with the essential element of a basic alliance. Was this even an alliance in the first place, when Guy and Kari can't even tell their ally the honest truth?

Holland was still waiting for an answer. Kari did not know what to say. She looked up at Guy for guidance, but he too was stuck in a dilemma that he could not solve.

Then, quite fortunately, a distraction came.

"Am I interrupting something?" Bulma asked. She arrived at just the right (or wrong) moment to break up the uncomfortable threesome. She was here, of course, to ask Holland about the upcoming vote and who the new target was. "I want to talk to you, Holland."

"May be tomorrow. I'm in the middle of a conversation." Holland grunted.

"It's pretty urgent though." Bulma was not the type of person who can be pushed aside like that. Besides, she won't be able to sleep tonight unless she had reassurance she was safe from Holland himself.

Holland glanced at the nervous pair of Kari and Guy. Then he glanced at an anxious and impatient Bulma, who was just dying to speak to Holland without the presence of other people. Finally, Holland decided he will talk to Bulma first, and meet up with his allies some other time.

He can trust Guy and Kari, he hoped.

_**Guy: **__We failed to get Holland's vote, but that doesn't mean it's over. As long as we can talk to Bulma about our plan, we're still golden. May be I'm being a little optimistic here, but it's too late to turn back now._

The massive ninja shook his head, as if voting anyone but Harley out was not even a possibility.

_**Guy: **__Part of being a ninja is unyielding perseverance. And no matter what, I will persevere until I get Harley voted out of this tribe._

"I think we should stop, Guy. There's still time to turn back." Kari whispered to Guy once they had escaped from Holland. "We can vote Harley out some other time. Let's just do what Holland wants. Let's avoid trouble."

"We can't go far if we're always playing it safe, little Kari." Guy whispered back. "We worked too hard to save Asuka to suddenly let Holland change our minds. We worked so hard to get Harley out of Jiraiya, and we're not going to let Holland stop us."

"Then can we at least _try _winning the immunity challenge tomorrow?" Kari asked, almost begging Guy to change his tune.

"No, everything is going to be fine." Guy said, putting a reassuring hand on Kari's shoulder. "Trust me."

_Trust me. _Kari heard those bold and confident words once again. Guy wanted her to trust him through these uncertain times, where the only thing that seemed certain was Guy's plan backfiring in his face. Guy still wanted to take Harley out, even though Holland the leader had already decided on another target, not to mention he already assembled all the necessary votes to do so. How can Kari put so much blind faith in a man who did not understand what danger he was in?

Kari admired Guy, she really did. She admired his optimism, his enthusiasm, his zest for life and his outrageous personality. But she also knew he was ultimately making a wrong decision that will doom his game forever. And now, he was asking her to trust him. He was asking Kari to put her fate in his shaky hands, where he cannot guarantee anything will succeed, but many things can possibly go wrong.

Might Guy was one day away from literally committing game suicide.

And sadly, Kari knew she can no longer stay on this sinking boat.

- - -

**DAY 15**

If Jiraiya attended tribal council tonight, Asuka was going home.

Three days ago, Bulma couldn't have been happier if she wrote down that name. In fact, she had been planning for a long while to cast that vote, while sticking her middle finger up at the camera, and then giving a perfectly bitchy explanation as to why she was glad to see the back of Asuka for the last time. Now, this feeling had been replaced by indifference. Just sheer 'I-don't-give-a-damn' indifference. Even though they made up and stopped feuding a few days ago, Bulma still did not consider Asuka a friend. Just like how Harley was not her friend either. Bulma did not have any friends in this game, may be business partners or certain people she got along with better than others, but in the end she trusted nobody by herself.

Bulma was playing _Survivor _alone by choice. She trusted no one, just as no one really trusted her. Those who thought they could trust Bulma were sadly mistaken. And those who thought they had Bulma's loyalty were just flat out idiots. Because she was a stealthy, opportunistic, and essentially _selfish _player, who was only doing what was best to further herself in the game. The target could be Asuka, or Harley, or Guy, or even Holland. As long as the vote benefited Bulma, she was happy to cast that vote against any one of them.

Harley was certainly not exempt to her rule, but the Pokemon Coordinator did not have a clue he was a potential target. All he knew was that he shared a close friendship with Bulma, especially because he needed her vote. And Harley, quite foolishly, associated friendship with loyalty, even though the two of them never made any commitments to each other.

He saw her as a friend, thus also an ally.

She saw him as someone who only talked to her when he needed something from her, thus just like everyone else.

"My best friend Bulma! Good morning, you sexy bitch!" Harley exclaimed.

Bulma looked up and smiled. Harley was inside the hammock, resting lazily about. Lying beside him was Mai Valentine, who also waved at Bulma. It was no surprise to see the two of them together, since they were always beside each other. It seemed as if the instant Mai entered Jiraiya, she was already attached to Harley's hip. She was essentially an _extension _of the Pokemon Coordinator, like a nasty piece of fungus on a poisonous mushroom.

"What's up?" Bulma approached the pair in the hammock. "You seem like you're in a good mood."

"Yeah! That's because Asuka is finally going home tonight!" Harley hollered. He turned towards Mai and laughed. Of course, it was not a conclusive thing until the immunity challenge, but one can only hope. "Cross your fingers, girls!"

"You talked with Holland, right?" Mai asked.

Bulma nodded her head and smiled – a big, fat, plastic smile.

"_Goooood_. That means we have four pretty little votes in our pocket. Safe and sound!" Harley clapped his hands together in delight. "It's probably going to be a unanimous vote tonight, anyway. I can't imagine _anyone _wanting to keep Asuka around."

"I heard Asuka might be targeting you," said Bulma.

"Let her. I'm not going anywhere, honey. Uh-uh, I don't think so." Harley waved his finger at Bulma's face and laughed. However, the laughter quickly faded away when he caught the sight of a particular man nearby. "Oh great. Twelve o'clock. My favourite person in the tribe."

Bulma turned around and saw Guy some distance behind her. The smile on her face grew wider.

"Oh my god, I don't want to talk to him. He's going to lecture me on work ethics and all that fun shit." Harley said sarcastically. He then closed his eyes, as if doing so will help make Guy disappear. "I'm going to pretend I'm not here and hope that he doesn't see me."

"Talk to you later." Bulma nodded, catching her cue to leave.

_**Harley: **__I'm so glad if Asuka leaves tonight, because that means Guy will leave right after her. Can you imagine Asuka and Guy gone from the game? What a perfect week that would be! The only thing that might make it better is if Kari cried her ass off and bailed out of the game._

He was laughing hysterically as he was speaking. He absolutely loved this scenario, even though none of it had actually happened yet, nor was there any guarantee that it might happen in the future. This confessional was not a prophecy as much as it was a wishful dream.

_**Harley:**__ But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Once Asuka leaves the tribe, my plan is to stick with the three on my side, and that's myself, Mai and Bulma in case you don't know. I'm pretty sure I can sway Holland's sexy butt in our favour, and then we're golden! Worse comes to worst, we can still force a tie at the vote. I love it. I have this all thought out. It cannot possibly go wrong!_

Meanwhile, Bulma had left the hammock and was in the forest, where she was currently chatting with Guy. Only minutes ago, she was listening to Harley bash the hardworking ninja, and now it was the complete reverse. Now, Guy was the one bashing Harley, as well as making the all-important pitch to her, which was the last step of his _brilliant _plan to take Harley out of the game.

"I'm going to make you an offer that you can't refuse." Guy whispered.

"Oh, this is going to be good." Bulma smiled in anticipation.

"I have Asuka and Kari by my side. We can change the game around upside down if you agree." Guy said in a very slow and cautious manner. He watched Bulma's face carefully for her reaction to change. "We're voting out Harley."

"Wow, I haven't heard about this plan at all." Bulma said, sounding genuinely surprised.

"We kept it hush-hush until the big moment comes." Guy nodded his head.

"You didn't tell Holland." Bulma noticed.

"We don't _need _Holland." Guy replied with confidence.

"This is so overwhelming." Bulma chuckled. "Why is everyone assuming that we're going to tribal council tonight? We might win the immunity challenge."

"We won't. We're going to throw it." Guy said solemnly, and that was when Bulma's expression changed for the worse. She didn't like what she was hearing at all. "We're putting our plan in motion. All we need is your vote."

"Hold on, if you're going to lose the challenge on purpose, then I'll need at least some guarantee," said Bulma. When the ninja gave her a confused look, she clarified what she meant. "How can I trust you? How do I know this is not some kind of scam?"

"You have my word." Guy replied.

"Sorry, you're going have to do better than that." Bulma almost laughed.

"I'm not going to flip. Kari isn't going to flip, and Asuka isn't going to flip. There's no way it'll go wrong." Guy said, gazing into Bulma's eyes. "All we need is you. You're the fourth vote. You have all the power. You have the deciding vote that gets to change the entire game around."

Bulma smiled at the thought. She did like the idea of changing the game and being in power. This move, of course, was coming from the same woman who was essentially helpless and powerless early on in the game. It will look great on her game résumé.

"Then, explain to me why I should vote Harley out." Bulma narrowed her eyes at the ninja. "I'm a lot closer to Harley than I am with Asuka. How does getting Harley out benefit _me_?"

"Because we're loyal." Guy replied instantly. "Kari, Asuka, and I are three of the most loyal people in this game. We're honest and trustworthy. Once you have our word, you will have it for life."

"Yeah, tell that to Holland." Bulma said with sarcasm.

"I never promised Holland that I'll vote with him." Guy clarified.

"I don't know, Guy. This is a big risk. There's a lot at stake here." Bulma shrugged her shoulders. "I need some time to think over this."

"The bottom line is this. Harley cannot be trusted, and he will betray you when push comes to shove. Would you rather align with Harley, Mai, and Harley – who, in the harshest of terms, are all very selfish people? Or would you rather align with _us_, the honest people? We're the loyal people. We're the trustworthy ones." Guy said, "This is really a battle between good and evil. Don't cross over to the dark side, Bulma. Come with us and vote Harley out."

"Give me time." Bulma repeated, sounding a little uncertain.

_**Bulma: **__Harley and Guy think I'm on their side, but they're both wrong. I'm going to sell my vote to the person who makes me a deal at the best price. I don't care if I'm aligning with good or evil. All I'm seeking for is power and security._

She folded her arms across her chest.

_**Bulma: **__This vote is a tough one. It could either make or break my game. I'm tempted to take Guy's offer and run with it, but I also see the potential of it going wrong. In any case, just because I pick a side doesn't mean I'm joining that team. I'm only playing for one team and that's Team Bulma. Gooooo me!_

While Bulma was contemplating over her options, she was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't even notice there was a snake slithering on the ground, right by her feet. Luckily, she was with Guy, who was trained to react in these situations. He picked up the snake and snapped its neck, instantly killing it. By the time Bulma even noticed there was a snake, it was already dead.

"Oh shit! I didn't even see it!" Bulma gasped, clasping her hands over her chest in fright.

"I'm used to it now. This is like déjà vu." Guy flashed a dry smile at her.

"Why are there so many snakes around?" Bulma shuddered. "Is it like snake season around here or something?"

"You have to be careful, Bulma." Guy said, sounding more solemn than he intended. "There are a lot of snakes in Jiraiya…"

**- - -**

Everyone in Tsunade woke up early in preparation for the upcoming immunity challenge. Like it or not, Meryl definitely sensed a change in the atmosphere ever since Tsunade stole those beers from the other tribe. Without knowing that it almost put an enormous target on Mai, Meryl grudgingly admitted that stealing was the right decision, because it built team spirit, increased tribe morale, and just generally made everyone happier while they were drunk. Alcohol can have such lovely effects sometimes.

Zolo, in particular, was responding the most positively ever since the raid two days ago. Actually, Meryl noticed that he had been much more pleasant ever since Mai left the tribe, as if she now saw a side to Zolo that she never saw before. Yes, he was still sometimes a bit insensitive and a bit intimidating for her liking, but he was making an effort to change. He seemed like a brand new man, a brand new Zolo that was here to win the game.

And it was not just Zolo who changed, but Shannon was revealing more of his personality as well. Meryl always thought the swordsman was dull as dishwater, but he was starting to come out of his shell in the past few days. Of course, he was hardly the life of the party, but at least Shannon was _socializing_, instead of grunting and muttering in that low, monotonous voice of his. In fact, the normally reserved swordsman actually asked Zolo to _spar _with him this morning. And Zolo, the new and improved Zolo, had agreed.

Now, Shannon and Zolo were about to partake in a sword duel, right here in the Tsunade camp.

"Let me warn you. I can't control my strength sometimes." Zolo said, holding up his machete like a katana sword. "I hope you're ready to take me on."

Shannon responded by smiling politely at the pirate. Trash talking was never in his forte. Besides, he was hardly the amateur swordsman that Zolo made him out to be. Shannon just didn't like to _brag _about it.

"Whenever you guys are ready." Faye said. She was acting as the referee in this sparring match, or simply the person to stop the match in case someone was injured. "Ready…?"

Zolo, who was used to fighting with two swords, held up his one machete and still smiled confidently. One sword or two swords, he was ready.

And Shannon, carrying the tribe's other machete, nodded to himself. He was also ready.

Meryl, sitting on the sidelines with Faye, was ready as well. Actually, Meryl felt nervous since this was the first time she witnessed a sword fight right in front of her eyes, but ready or not, it was about to begin.

_CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! _That was the sound of the two machetes swiftly clashing into each other, over and over. Every time one of them delivered a hit, the other was quick enough to block it off. Every time Zolo delivered a strong offence, Shannon was able to prepare a perfectly capable defence. And vice versa.

"You're pretty good at this." Zolo smirked, barely avoiding a close strike from Shannon's machete. "I thought you'd be done in five shots."

Although there were no actual swords in their hands, the machetes were suitable enough replicas to create a similar experience to an actual sword fight. What followed was an impressive sparring match between the two expert swordsmen, which should be no surprise since both Shannon and Zolo were obviously skilled in their field. In fact, if the next immunity challenge was all about demonstrating one's swordsmanship, Tsunade might as well have this immunity challenge in the bag.

"This is so dangerous." Meryl whispered to Faye. They were currently watching the match as spectators.

"It's kind of exciting at the same time." Faye nodded her head in agreement. "This is a very manly sport."

The two women were still not on friendly terms, but at least they were speaking to each other, which was a good start. It was difficult to avoid talking with somebody completely when there were just five people in the tribe. And it was silly for either of them to ignore each other, especially when they were the only two women in a tribe filled with testosterone. So, Faye and Meryl were able to put aside their differences and speak to one another in casual, albeit superficial, conversations.

"Should they really be doing this before the immunity challenge?" Meryl asked uncertainly. "I don't want us to lose all our energy when the time comes."

"I think it's the complete opposite. Shannon and Zolo are getting stronger because we're igniting their fire. We're fuelling their competitiveness before the immunity challenge," said Faye.

"Then, what can the two of us do to help them?" Meryl asked.

"We can sit here and cheer for them." Faye smiled. She turned towards the two swordsmen and raised her fist high in the air. "Let's go, ladies! I want to see more action! My dog has more moves than you guys!"

"Want to trade spots, Faye?" Shannon asked, turning towards the bounty huntress with a polite smile.

"Her? No way. She'll wet her pants if she's facing against me." Zolo shook his head.

"Oh yeah? Bring it on!" Faye joked, shaking her fist at the pirate. "I'll whoop your ass."

Before Faye can challenge Zolo in a duel, Roy emerged out of the forest with a solemn expression on his face.

He had the treemail.

Almost instantly, the pleasant smiles on everyone's faces dropped. Because it was the dreaded time. This was going to be the challenge that either kept Tsunade alive, or completely break it apart.

_**Zolo: **__I know I say this every challenge, but this time I'm confident Tsunade will pull off a victory. I don't wanna go to tribal council again, because if I see a hidden immunity idol pulled out of someone's ass tonight, I might kill myself on the spot!_

He was kidding of course, since there were no more hidden immunity idols in the game. But after being the unfortunate victim of that dreaded idol for two consecutive times, Zolo can't help but feel wary about going to another tribal council.

_**Zolo: **__The only immunity idol I want to see is the real thing. We're going to the immunity challenge today and we're going to win. Hell yeah._

- - -

"Welcome to your fifth immunity challenge." Iruka announced. "First things first, I need that immunity idol back."

Guy obediently handed the wooden sculpture back to Iruka. He almost didn't want to part with it. Almost.

"For today's challenge, you'll be participating in a rescue search. One person from each tribe will play the so-called _victim_, who will be stranded in the forest somewhere and tied up to a tree. The four _rescuers _will carry a stretcher into the forest, locate the victim, put this person on the stretcher, and bring him or her back to the finish line. The first tribe to complete this will win immunity."

Kari and Meryl were chosen to be the 'victims', since they were the lightest and thus the easiest to carry on a stretcher. Since Jiraiya had two extra members, Harley and Mai sat out for this challenge.

Before leaving, Guy cast an apologetic glance at Harley, knowing that the Pokemon Coordinator may possibly go home tonight without having a chance to win immunity and save himself.

"Meryl and Kari have been placed somewhere in the forest. It is your challenge to identify their voices and locate where they are." Iruka declared. "Survivors ready? Go!"

The eight participants ran hastily into the forest. Since each tribe member was carrying a part of the stretcher, the tribes were only moving as fast as their stretcher, or in other words, their slowest member. This did not pose a significant problem for Tsunade, since the athletic Faye can run as fast as any of the men. But for Jiraiya, they were not able to utilise Guy's speed and blast through the challenge like they always have, because the Konoha ninja was now running at the same speed as Holland, Asuka and Bulma.

Not that Guy wanted to run quickly anyway. No, he was perfectly happy taking a leisurely stroll in the forest, while Tsunade ran on ahead and took an early lead in the race.

It was rare for Tsunade to gain a lead in any challenge, so they were trying their best to maintain it. Unfortunately, _losing _seemed to come as a second nature to them, as was getting lost in the forest and having no clue where to go. They were supposed to follow Meryl's voice and identify her there. And they could definitely hear her screams, telling her tribe to come rescue her wherever she was. The problem was that nobody in Tsunade's rescue team knew where to go. They could hear Meryl's voice, but they didn't know where it was coming from. And as fast as they were moving, Tsunade was going essentially nowhere in the forest. It didn't help matters that Zolo, the man who was horrible with directions, was leading the tribe further and further away from the intended location.

Meanwhile, Holland the navigator had no problems identifying where Harley was. Her voice was obviously not as loud as the screechy Meryl, but Jiraiya was on the right track to finding where the petite DigiDestiend was. While Tsunade was stumbling around the forest, Jiraiya had managed to find their groove and steal back the lead. This, of course, displeased Guy immensely, although he didn't express it to his rescue team. Even when he was trying to _throw _the challenge, he was still winning! How frustrating was that!?

Tsunade was not moving in the right direction until Roy took charge and finally led them closer to where Meryl was. But by then, they had fallen so behind that it almost seemed like Jiraiya was on their way to another cakewalk victory. Because Jiraiya had already located Kari now. And she was about to be rescued, placed on the stretcher, and carried over to the finish line.

Just like that, Jiraiya was about to win another challenge.

But one thing was different from before, because Jiraiya no longer had Guy acting as their anchor like they did in every other challenge. Instead of helping them win, he was now trying to stall them as much as possible. And Jiraiya will soon learn that while Guy may be a challenge powerhouse, he can also become a challenge _wrecker_.

Kari was quickly untied from the tree and she was placed on the stretcher like the instructions said. Jiraiya was now on their way to the finish line, whereas the other tribe was still trying to find Meryl in the vast forest. And for once in the challenge, Harley lost his guard, thinking that they had this challenge wrapped in the bag.

And then, Guy tripped.

The moment the gigantic Guy collapsed on the ground, the stretcher lost its primary supports and Kari fell down as well. Guy mumbled a quick apology for his clumsiness and helped Kari back on her stretcher once more. Nobody made a note of it. Even Guy might fall down sometimes.

But then, Guy tripped for a second time. And a third time. And continually through the race, Guy kept falling down almost in a comedic fashion. Except that it wasn't so funny each time Kari fell down, taking a hard landing as she was thrown out of the flimsy stretcher. By the fifth or sixth time she took a fall, her knees were bleeding and her arms were scraped.

"What's going on, Guy?" Holland asked, tossing an odd look at the ninja. "You're not on top of your game today!"

"These things happen." Guy shrugged his shoulders.

Jiraiya stalling time was exactly what Tsunade needed to get back into the race. They finally found Meryl and untied her from the imprisoning tree. They plopped her onto the stretcher and started racing towards the finish line. They were just hoping they would not get lost again.

Guy gazed behind him every now and then, wondering when his rival tribe will catch up. He waited and stalled Jiraiya for as long as possible. Asuka also joined in his little charade, purposely getting Jiraiya lost even though she was usually so accurate with directions. She shared the same intentions as Guy for the upcoming tribal council. They both wanted to lose the immunity challenge, so Harley can finally leave tonight.

The finish line was so nearby, but Jiraiya was hardly making any progress, much thanks to the collaborate efforts of Asuka and Guy.

And even a tribe that was stumbling recklessly around the forest was able to catch up.

And even that tribe was able to pass Jiraiya.

And even that tribe was able to win the immunity challenge, just as Guy intended.

Tsunade was ecstatic that they won immunity for a change, especially with their pathetic start during the challenge. Of course, it had been a narrow victory and they would have never won it had Jiraiya not oh-so-purposely throw it to them. But a win was a win, and it was a long due win for the Tsunade tribe. Nobody can take this win away from them.

While Tsunade celebrated, Kari Kamiya didn't know if she should feel angry, or upset, or disappointed, or just downright embarrassed. She only knew the emotion she felt right now was an unpleasant one, and it was directed at Guy. He was the reason why they lost the challenge today, with him purposely delaying the tribe when they could have breezed through to an easy victory. Yet, he made it so difficult with his 'accidents' and 'wrong turns', until Tsunade was finally able to catch up and put Jiraiya out of its misery.

Guy smiled at Kari and shrugged, as if to tell her this outcome couldn't have been prevented. He was almost sorry for what he did. Almost. But not really.

Kari turned away in annoyance. She had never witnessed someone turn from a mighty hero to a total zero in such a short period of time. Guy went from the powerful to the powerless. From an irreplaceable strength to a hindering liability. From dominance to cowardice. From a victor to a loser.

Guy was no longer an infallible warrior. He was just a challenge throwing _actor_.

- - -

Now that Jiraiya was officially going to tribal council, Holland Novak wanted answers and confirmations from the two people he thought he trusted most. Judging by yesterday's conversation, he sensed something had changed in the tribe dynamics that he was not aware about. Guy and Kari were acting oddly evasive and they seemed reluctant to vote Asuka out. This was an enormous change to their behaviour on the sixth day, where they wholeheartedly supported his decision to vote Keitaro out. But now, Guy and Kari were not only questioning Holland's decision, they seemed to be opposing against it too. Holland did not understand what was going on, but he needed to look for answers.

He found Kari Kamiya sitting by herself inside the shelter, all huddled up and looking depressed. She took this challenge loss harder than anyone, both figuratively and literally, since her body was covered with bruises and scratches due to falling from the stretcher so much. But Holland also knew that wasn't the only reason why she was upset. Something else must be bothering the petite DigiDestiend just before tribal council.

"Kari, are you hiding something from me?" Holland asked, but almost immediately regretted his approach. He did not tend to empathize with other people, so comforting a distressed Kari was like a foreign task to him.

Kari shook her head quietly. Holland was hardly the person she wanted to speak to right now, but he was insistent on getting her to talk.

"Can you tell me who you're voting for tonight?" Holland asked. "Is it still Asuka, like we discussed?"

Of course, Holland had not really discussed this vote with her, or at least not in the technical sense. He more or less dictated this move and expected others to follow his command. Of course, Kari did not have the guts to ever confront Holland about this. She was far too passive and far too scared to defy the Jiraiya leader.

"Kari, I want an answer." Holland demanded.

Unable to look at the Jiraiya leader in the face, Kari averted her gaze at her feet, as if her toes would somehow magically spell out a possible answer. But there was no answer available except for the one hidden in her conscience, the one that she was too scared to confront because of her fears.

"Don't' disappoint me, Kari." Holland warned, "I put so much trust in you. You don't want to disappoint me."

Speaking was Holland was like speaking with a first-class intimidator. She couldn't hide from him. She had to make a decision. She must answer him now.

"I…I'm voting out Asuka." Kari muttered, almost a little too bitterly. And just like that, she had betrayed Guy and the promise to stick by his side. Either she was going to betray Guy or she was going to betray Holland. There was no middle ground.

"First of all, thank you." Holland smiled at Kari, but it seemed more like a mechanical smile more than anything. "Now, I want to ask you another question. Is Guy voting for Asuka as well?"

"I don't know." Kari lied, but of course she knew. She knew that Guy and Asuka were voting Harley out tonight despite Holland's wishes. But she felt bad enough having betrayed Guy once, and she didn't want to plunge the knife in any further. She just wanted Holland to leave alone so she can sulk by herself.

"But you _do _know, don't you?" Holland asked. He can see through Kari right away. She hated him for being so acute.

Finally, Kari shook her head. She answered enough questions for today. Now go away, Holland.

He shrugged, sensing that she wasn't going to tell the truth anyway. He patted her on the shoulder, either to thank her or to comfort her. And Kari just sighed, feeling completely miserable with herself.

_**Kari: **__I hate going to tribal council. Different people are tugging at me in different directions. I'm standing in the conflicted middle and I don't know where to go. Why couldn't we have won the challenge and avoid all of this?_

She gave a heavy sigh to the camera.

_**Kari: **__I'm going to betray someone tonight. And I don't like it one bit at all._

Hours later, just before Jiraiya departed for tribal council, Kari coincidentally met up with Asuka while packing her bags. Even the normally confident Asuka was looking a bit unwary about tonight. She knew her fate lied in the hands of three people she had no other choice but to trust. In order to stay in the game for a few more days, Asuka had to depend on people like Kari Kamiya to stay by her side.

"I have no qualms about going tonight. I thought I was leaving ever since Keitaro got voted off, so nothing could happen tonight that'll give me a big shock." Asuka started speaking all of a sudden, even though Kari did not initiate a conversation with her. "But if I do go tonight, there is one thing I must do before I leave."

Asuka walked up to the hammock, while Kari watched her curiously from some distance away. The hammock, as everyone in Jiraiya knew, was Harley's favourite place to rest in during lazy mornings, lazy afternoons and lazy evenings. And with that in mind, Asuka grabbed the ends of the hammock and ripped it apart.

No more hammocks. No more lazy days with Harley lying around.

"Asuka!" Kari gasped.

"If I'm not here after tonight, I want to leave here with a _bang_!" Asuka flashed an impish smirk at the petite DigiDestiend. "Consider this a big 'screw you' from me to Harley."

Kari sighed softly and turned away. She was feeling too guilty right now to talk with Asuka. She was afraid that if she spent any more time with Asuka, she might change her mind again.

"That felt good. I feel like I got some of my demons out." Asuka grinned as she walked back to Kari at the shelter. "And it's because of you, Hikari, that I feel this way right now."

"Me? I didn't do anything." Kari looked startled.

"You're the one who helped me patch things up with Bulma. You're the one who would talk to me when I was at my lowest. You're the one who looked out for me when nobody else would." Asuka nodded her head a few times. "I'm not stupid. I know when someone is being a friend to me."

"Am I your friend, Asuka?" Kari asked timidly.

"Do you even have to ask?" Asuka grinned, putting an arm around the DigiDestiend's shoulder. "I told you this a long time ago. Hikari, you and me can take this game and turn it upside down. The two of us together are _indestructible_."

At this moment, a very guilty Kari Kamiya wished she could vote herself out of the game tonight.

- - -

Tribal council came at last. It had been a long time since Iruka last saw the Jiraiya tribe in this setting instead of Tsunade. The difference between the two tribes was that Jiraiya happened to be a lot more tight-lipped about strategies and tribal dynamics, which meant Iruka had a difficult time prying information from anyone. He asked questions, and people gave vague, unenthusiastic answers. It was clear that Iruka was the only one willing to speak at tribal council, because everyone else was too busy thinking about the vote.

Asuka was thinking about how her fate in this game rested in those seven votes.

Guy was thinking about whether his plan will succeed tonight, after having gambled so much of his strategy in this one single move.

Bulma was thinking about her own plans for tonight and for the rest of the game.

And Kari was thinking about all the places she want to be at instead of here.

The other three members of Jiraiya, the ones who were confident that Asuka was leaving tonight, were all thinking about how pleasant camp life will be without a little spitfire there to ruin their festivities. They had no question that Asuka was leaving, unless something terribly wrong happened behind their backs. And in that case, there was really something for them to think about for the rest of this game.

"Alright, let's get to the vote." Iruka said at last, giving up on the questions after a lack of success. "You know the drill. Harley, you're up first."

"Asuka, you're the most annoying person I've ever, ever met. And that's saying something, since Guy is on the same tribe as you." Harley said almost with a guilty pleasure as he cast the first vote against Asuka for the night. "You have a lot of issues and a lot of pent up anger for such a young girl. I hope you go get psychiatric help or something. Whatever. Have a good life."

Mai Valentine was the next person to vote. Quite predictably, it was the same vote as her Coordinator friend.

"I didn't steal the beers, you stupid girl. Next time, think before you open that big trap of yours. And stop yelling at people when you disagree with them, because you're not always right."

Holland cast the third vote against Asuka for the night.

"I find you a constant source of irritation around camp. Everyone is sick of babysitting your needs and coping with your tantrums. With your attitude, I can't imagine anyone thinking that you'll last for fifteen days. Good for you."

Guy was the next person to vote. And as per plan, he cast the first vote against Harley tonight.

"Harley, you do not possess the springtime of youth. You don't have the enthusiasm and the work ethics for the two of us to be comrades in the same tribe. Whatever happens tonight, I hope you'll take this advice to heart and improve yourself as a person."

Like the Jonin ninja, Asuka also cast a vote against Harley.

"You _suck_."

And that was it. Those two words perfectly summarized her contempt for the Pokemon Coordinator in this game. She folded her vote into half and dropped it into the urn, before angrily stomping back to her seat.

Bulma cast the sixth vote of the night. She did so and returned to her seat with a tiny smile on her face.

And finally, Kari Kamiya stood up and crossed over the rope bridge. She arrived at the voting shrine with a weak mind and a fragile heart. She thought she made up her mind earlier, but now she was suddenly feeling a change of heart. Kari was confused, and scared, and had no idea what to do. She picked up the black-ink marker in her trembling hand and wrote down a name.

But then, she crossed it out and scribbled a different name on the same parchment.

Kari did not say anything, but she flashed an apologetic glance at the camera before inserting her vote into the urn. Little did she know, or perhaps she fully knew, that this one vote of hers was about to change the whole game for the worse.

- - -

"Once the votes are read, the person voted out will be asked to leave tribal council area immediately."

Asuka frowned.

The graet Asuka Soryu Langley did not normally feel nervous under pressure, but even she was cracking a little bit from the mounting suspense. A few days ago, it would not have mattered to her if she was voted out, because she could have predicted it a mile away. That was back when Asuka had no allies, no friends, no hope of making it any further. But now, she had people who actually wanted to protect her and that made all the difference in tonight's outcome. Even though it was not a certain thing, but at least it was a hope. Or perhaps, it was more like a _wish _that Asuka hoped with all her might will come true.

Iruka read out the first vote in the urn.

"Harley."

The Pokemon Coordinator remained unfazed, guessing correctly that was Asuka's vote.

Iruka pulled out the second parchment.

"Asuka."

Harley nodded his head, slowly gaining more confidence in himself. Seeing this vote comforted him, because it reminded the Pokmeon Coordinator that nothing can go wrong tonight, _if _everyone followed accordingly to plan. Asuka can try all she wanted, but he was confident that she wasn't going anywhere tonight.

"Harley."

The newfound confidence that Harley possessed a few seconds ago vanished completely with this vote. He gasped softly at the sight of seeing his name again, because he had not expected it at all. This was _not _supposed to happen! Tonight was supposed to be an easy vote, where the decision was unanimous and Asuka can go home just like what everyone wanted.

But here was this vote in front of him, proving to Harley that he was not as safe tonight as he might have hoped.

And somewhere out there, in this tribe of seven, was at least one person who wanted him gone.

"Asuka." Iruka said, after pulling out the fourth parchment. "That's two votes for Harley and two votes for Asuka."

The host unfolded the next parchment and flipped it over.

"Asuka."

Just one more vote. One more vote and Asuka will be put out of misery once and all. She will be out of this stupid game and away from these stupid people forever. She should be happy, or at least pretended to be happy, that she can get away from a game where, quite frankly, she was not having any fun at all. Yet, Asuka didn't want to give up. She wanted to keep fighting and fighting until Iruka told her to stop. Until he pulled out that much dreaded fourth vote, she was still in this game. She still had a chance.

Asuka glanced over at Guy, who smiled at her and nodded his head lightly. _Trust me_, he said with his eyes and Asuka turned away, not wanting to jinx it. But the Konoha ninja surprised her tonight, because he did keep his promise to her after all. It was not all just bullshit and false hope he had been feeding her in the past few days. His plan to get Harley out was actually coming into motion.

She only hoped it will succeed.

"Harley." Iruka read out the name on the sixth parchment. "That's three votes for Asuka and three votes for Harley."

In that instant, Kari Kamiya turned her head towards Bulma, silently demanding an urgent explanation. The wily inventor met her gaze, and with a tiny smile, flashed a playful wink at the DigiDestiend. And then, Kari slumped in her seat, almost in sheer disbelief of what she was seeing with her eyes. It only took her a matter of seconds, but she now understood everything.

That vote belonged to Bulma.

She, ever the cunning opportunist, made the big plunge in the game which no one thought she would. Guy's pitch to her this morning actually worked, and Bulma accepted the offer to vote Harley out, believing it was the right move to better her position in her tribe.

And it would have been Bulma's best move for the entire game, had there not been one tiny miscalculation on her part.

Because at this moment, a terribly remorseful Kari Kamiya almost wanted to cry.

"The fifth person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha…_"

Iruka drew a long pause before turning over the final piece of parchment.

_Harley._

Asuka almost wanted to laugh out loud when she saw that name, because it appeared in front of her in the worst possible way. In any other circumstances, she should have been joyous to see that name. In fact, she should have been doing a victory cry right about now. But the only thing Asuka can do was shake her head and laugh.

Yes, Harley's name was written in the centre of the parchment, but it was crossed out with a line.

And on top of Harley's name was five letters that spelled out Asuka's doom loud and clear.

"Asuka." Iruka said, reading out the name on the parchment. "You'll have to bring me your torch."

Should Asuka have felt angry or just surprised? She wasn't too sure how to react, but nonetheless it was her time to go. She didn't acknowledge anyone in her tribe as she stood up and grabbed her torch. Nor did she say anything when she presented it in front of Iruka, who snuffed out her flame almost instantly.

_Screw these losers! _Asuka thought to herself with a defiant smirk. _They're not part of my life anymore!_

"The tribe has spoken." Iruka said in a solemn voice. "It's time for you to go."

Asuka turned around to face her tribe members for the last time. She caught a glimpse of several shocked people who had not expected her ouster at all. She shrugged her shoulders and turned around. Whatever, Asuka had already erased these people from her memory forever. She began her walk of shame and soon disappeared into the darkness forever.

This was the outcome Holland Novak intended, and he got what he wanted in the end. The troublesome Asuka Soryu Langley was gone from Jiraiya once and for all. Yet, Holland could not help but feel bothered by the results tonight, because there were four votes against Asuka as opposed to six. And that meant there were two rebellious people in the tribe who betrayed him, and they almost succeeded in their coup had another person not change their mind in the last second. With a troubled sigh, he realized that he was one vote away from being dethroned tonight.

And Holland found himself staring at Guy, keeping a close eye on his new enemy from now on.

Guy was staring at Bulma, wondering where his plan fell apart.

Bulma was staring at Kari, worrying if this one single blunder damaged her game forever.

And Kari was staring at her feet, too afraid to make eye contact with anybody in her tribe. She closed her eyes to fight back tears, resisting the strong and natural urge to cry on the spot.

Because she knew. She knew before anyone else in the tribe did. She knew the moment she saw that third vote for Harley, because all along she assumed there was no way Bulma would agree to such a deal. There was no way Bulma would ever vote out her dear friend Harley. There was no way Guy's plan would actually succeed in the end. She assumed wrong on all of those things of course, but by then it was too late.

Kari Kamiya knew she just made the worst mistake in her life.

- - -

_**Asuka's Final Words**_

I came into this game thinking I was going to dominate, but I ended up making a total fool out of myself. My time in _Survivor _has been like a constant trial on my willpower. Every single day just got worse and worse for me. And until recently, I didn't think I stood a chance of even making it to the merge. I can't say I've any positive memories from this experience, but I'm glad I went out fighting like a warrior instead of whimpering like a loser. This loss doesn't affect me that much. My name is Asuka Soryu Langley, and I know I am a winner in life regardless.

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**Bulma rewrites tribal council history…**  
_Guy: You betrayed us!_  
(Harley and Holland are observing inside the shelter.)  
_Bulma: What if I did?_

**The two tribes build a rescue signal for the reward challenge...**  
_Faye: I think everyone should get naked._  
_Shannon: They can't see you from above._  
(Faye begins taking off her clothes anyway. Roy laughs.)  
_Roy: She's like the Richard Hatch of Konoha._

**And ****Faye builds a signal of her own…**  
_Faye: I'm going to get voted out._  
(She writes something on the ground with a stick.)  
_Faye: He is my last hope._

_**All this and more on – Episode 6: **__**Rescue Me**_

- - -

**Author's Notes:** Sorry for the long wait. I made a few changes to Episodes 3 and 4 to define certain neglected characters, so you might like to read them over. And I know people are reading this because the story is being put in several Favourites lists! Anyway, I appreciate your reviews and any input to the story. Don't forget to take the survey in my website after you finish the chapter. Thanks for reading!


	6. Episode 6: Rescue Me

** Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Tsunade secretly raided the Jiraiya camp and stole their reward, but the unknowing Asuka blamed Mai for the incident instead. Fed up with Asuka's argumentative nature, Holland openly declared that he will send her home. Meanwhile, Guy planned to throw the immunity challenge in order to vote the lazy Harley out of Jiraiya. His ally Kari was concerned that this plan will backfire in their faces. While Guy managed to secure Asuka and Bulma's votes at tribal council, Kari had a change of heart after a stern conversation with Holland. She buckled under the pressure and voted Asuka out in a 4-3 vote._

_Eleven castaways remain. Who will be voted off next?_

**Episode Six: Rescue Me**

Jiraiya Tribe** : Bulma **_(Dragonball Z)_,** Guy**_ (Naruto)_, **Harley **_(Pokemon)_, **Holland **_(Eureka Seven)_,** Kari **_(Digimon),_** Mai **_(Yu-gi-oh)_,

Tsunade Tribe**: Faye **_(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Meryl **_(Trigun)_, **Roy **_(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon **_(Scrapped Princess)_, **Zolo **_(One Piece)_

- - -

**DAY 16**

Might Guy spent approximately the past three hours, twenty seven minutes, and fifty four seconds sitting under a waterfall. The ninja woke up before dawn this morning and just decided to sit there without any explanation. And by this point, the _Survivor_ producers were beginning to feel a little concerned for his well-being. Yes, Guy might be strong, but he was not indestructible. Anyone who sat underneath a waterfall for that long must feel exhausted. They tried telling him to stop whatever he was doing, but Guy insisted that he would not leave until he was finished_ meditating_. As extroverted as Guy might be sometimes, even he needed a private moment every now and then.

Was he thinking about the future? The present? Or the past? For Guy, the past was no different from his present. The past was like a vivid picture that he could remember very clearly in his head. He remembered the three votes against Harley, the three votes against Asuka, and the one indecisive vote that had both names written on it in the most unfortunate way. Guy had been so close to making his plan a success, but it backfired on him just like Kari had warned. She was right of course. And now his future was doomed.

If _failure_ was the only thing Guy had to overcome, he would not have been this upset. He was an eternal optimist after all, and he lived long enough to understand that success was not always guaranteed in life. But what really bothered him was his conscience, his soul, his mojo, or whatever he called that aching sensation inside his heart. It was a little voice inside of Guy that reminded him he broke a fundamental promise last night.

Guy promised Asuka, many days ago, that he will keep her safe from their next tribal council. Come last night, and he failed miserably as he watched Asuka's torch get snuffed. He not only failed her, but he also failed himself. Guy, who prided himself in never breaking his word with anyone, had failed to sustain his promise when it truly mattered. Now, he would have to live the rest of his life with a permanent stain on his conscience. And no matter how long he sat under that waterfall, he carried an emotional stain that would never be washed away.

_**Guy:**__ Last night, I was unable to fulfill my promise to Asuka, thus meaning I betrayed my way of the ninja. I feel as if I have to somehow punish myself for breaking my word. How can I live as a proud Konoha ninja when I know I'm full of empty promises and gutless words? I wished I was the one who went home instead. At least that way, I would've walked out of the game with my head high and my integrity intact, instead of feeling like I'm lower than scum now._

It had been three hours, twenty seven minutes, and fifty four seconds since Guy sat under the waterfall as a self-imposed punishment. If Asuka was here watching him, would she have forgiven him? Guy knew he would never be able to forgive himself anyway. His conscience simply would not allow it. No matter how many times he asked for forgiveness, his sins will never be eased. No matter how many introspective confessionals he gave, his agony will never be lifted.

He was a sinner and he knew it.

Guy sat under the waterfall for a while longer before he finally freed himself from his imprisonment. The sun had risen well in the sky, so his tribe members must be awake by now. As guilty as he felt about Asuka's loss, Guy did not forget that he was still playing a game. He had not given up on _Survivor _just because of one little mishap. Even though all odds were against him, he believed he could once again dominate the game if he worked hard enough.

But before that could happen, Guy first had another business to attend to. Or more specifically, he needed to address a _certain_ person in the tribe. He needed to look for answers.

Because Guy was not the only one who broke a promise last night.

And he was going to find out who the other sinner was.

- - -

If there were two words Bulma learned very quickly in the past twenty four hours, they would be '_damage control_'. From the precise moment she saw Asuka's name on that seventh parchment, Bulma kicked into emergency mode and thought of numerous scenarios in order to save her own ass. She barely had any sleep last night, worrying about what Harley and Holland thought of her now. She worried if they knew she betrayed them. She worried if Kari opened her big stupid mouth and confessed everything in exchange for security. She worried, and worried, and worried some more, until morning arrived and a new day had begun.

Even if Harley and Holland _didn't_ know the truth, they would still believe Bulma cast that indecisive seventh vote against Asuka, which was just nearly as bad. That vote had Harley's name written down yet crossed out, indicating there was a change of heart at the last second. It was as if someone held a knife to Harley's back, but chickened out when asked to make the final plunge. If Bulma admitted to casting that vote, it would only make her more suspicious and untrustworthy from Harley's perspective. She might as well admit to writing Harley's name down instead of lying about crossing his name out for some strange, inexplicable reason.

_**Bulma:**__ If only Kari wrote one name on that parchment, this wouldn't even be a problem! I could have pretended that I voted Asuka out with no hesitation. That stupid girl. That stupid, stupid, whishy-washy girl! Actually, if Kari stuck to her guns in the first place, we would have been sitting pretty right about now! Instead, Harley is still here and he probably thinks I'm a backstabbing bitch, which I am, but still…this is all Kari's fault!_

Bulma sighed to herself in frustration. She worked so hard to propel herself into a desirable position in Jiraiya, but she crashed back to the bottom ring all because of one person's indecision. Not only did Bulma's future plans fly out the window, she now had to face the terrifying consequences of her actions.

_**Bulma:**__ What should I do?_

It became clear to Bulma that what she should do was _lie_, that much was obvious. If Harley and Holland accused her of betraying them, then she was going to deny, deny, deny. And if Guy confronted her about her decision last night, then she was going to backtrack, backtrack, backtrack. Lie, deny and backtrack – that pretty much summarized Bulma's plan of escape in the aftermath. She can only win back the trust of her tribe members if she talked her ass off and made them believe she was on their side all along.

Bulma silently scanned her eyes over her tribe members in the shelter. Everyone was awake and getting prepared for a brand new day. Guy was noticeably absent from the group, which was just _perfect_ for Bulma. Now she can give her false 'confession' to Jiraiya without any interruptions.

"Hey guys, is everyone awake?" Bulma asked, flashing an insincere smile at her tribe members. "I'd like to talk about last night's vote. Let's bring it out in the open."

"Yeah, what's up with that!? I thought it was supposed to be unanimous!" Harley complained.

"I told you Asuka was campaigning against you." Bulma took a deep breath before continuing. "Anyway, I just want to let everyone know that I cast my vote against Asuka last night. And before anyone asks – yes, I was the one who crossed out Harley's name and wrote Asuka on top of it!"

"How scandalous!" Harley gasped. He clutched his hands to his chest, appearing hurt. "I thought we were friends!"

"But wait, I have a reason!" Bulma exclaimed.

"You better have a damn good reason." Holland said in a stern voice.

"I…I cast that vote out of spite against Asuka, you see. You know the two of us never got along." Bulma explained, although she knew every word coming out of her mouth was pure fabrication. "I crossed out Harley's name because I wanted to kick Asuka while she was down. I wanted Asuka to get her hopes up for one millisecond when she saw Harley's name, and then I wanted her to feel completely devastated when she saw her own name on top."

"Oh…is that it?" Harley mumbled doubtfully.

"I admit it was a petty thing to do, but I just want to let everyone know that I _never_ had the intention to vote Harley out. Never ever!" Bulma shook her head. "I know you guys would take my vote the wrong way, so I wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page."

Harley kept silent as he thought over Bulma's explanation. He didn't know whether he believed her or not. Obviously, he wanted to believe his friend did not betray him last night, but his common sense still carried some reasonable doubt. What Bulma said sounded logical enough, but it also seemed _too_ implausible for it to be true. On one hand, he could see Bulma casting a spite vote against Asuka. She was just malicious enough to do something like that. But on the other hand, her story felt a little too forced and unnatural. It was almost like it was a rehearsed performance.

Was Bulma lying? Or should Harley give his friend the benefit of the doubt"

"I believe you, Bulma." Harley smiled at last. He had always been a rather childish person, which was why he often held immature little grudges against his enemies. But on the same scale, his childlike mind also carried a certain naïve optimism towards his friends. Harley did not _want_ to believe Bulma would backstab him. Thus, he pushed aside his doubts and trusted Bulma on what she said.

"Thank you!" Bulma sighed in relief.

"As long as Asuka is gone, it's fine. Let's put that tribal council behind us and move on." Holland nodded.

Sitting at the corner of the shelter, little Kari Kamiya quietly listened to the conversation with an expression of disbelief on her face. She had never heard such _garbage_ in her life. Bulma just told an outright lie and everyone let her off the hook. Nobody even knew she was lying except for Kari, who almost wanted to laugh at how ridiculous Bulma's story was. It was funny to watch how people can twist facts and rewrite history in order to suit themselves. Bulma was definitely an expert in the art of bullshitting.

When nobody was looking, Kari shot a glare at Bulma's direction, hinting to the inventor that at least one person did not fall for her crafty lie. And Bulma glared back at the petite DigiDestiend, hoping the little troublesome bitch would shut up and not ruin any more of her game plans. Fortunately, Kari did not say anything to anybody, nor did Bulma ever expect her to. Kari hated making big scenes, and she avoided them of every kind. She was far too passive to confront Bulma so openly in public. Kari was the type of person who would rather talk to people in private when nobody else was listening in. Besides, the meek DigiDestiend knew she didn't stand a chance in winning an argument against the mouthy inventor. Bulma would devour her alive if Kari dared to partake in a public showdown.

_So far, so good_. Bulma thought to herself with a small smile. She didn't think it was possible to recover from such a mess, but she somehow pulled it off. Her comeback was slowly falling into place. However, her plan was not successful yet, because here came another obstacle walking her way.

Might Guy just returned to camp.

And immediately, he walked over to the shelter to confront Bulma, whom he thought was the person responsible for switching her vote last night.

"You betrayed us!" Guy exclaimed.

"What if I did?" Bulma shouted defensively. "I didn't promise you anything!"

"You led us on! You made us think that you were going to vote with us, but…" Guy grumbled, but he was interrupted mid-sentence.

"Guy, stop! Stop!" Kari cut in before the argument escalated to a more unpleasant level. Arguing with Bulma was pointless, and she did not want Guy to dig his grave any deeper. "I think everyone needs to calm down!"

"Yeah! We voted Asuka out, so let's try to sustain the tribal harmony here!" Mai joked.

"But she _betrayed_ us…" Guy muttered in an infuriated tone.

"She didn't betray anyone," said Kari, who knew the truth better than anyone else. She climbed out of the shelter and guided Guy away from the group. In a soft whisper, she added, "Let's go, Guy. I'll explain everything."

When the two of them were distanced away from everyone else, Kari confided in Guy about everything. She poured her heart out and laid every secret on the table. She told him about her decision last night, as well as the reasoning behind such a spontaneous move. She also told him about Bulma's vote, as well as the lie she made up to save her own skin. She even told him about her guilty conscience, and how extremely remorseful she felt afterwards. Guy listened to the young girl's heartfelt confession without a single word of input. When she was finally finished talking, he let out a big, hearty sigh.

"Oh Kari. What happened to the innocent little Kari that I used to know?" Guy asked.

"I'm so-so…sorry, Guy!" Kari hanged her head down in shame. She couldn't even make direct eye contact with Guy at the moment. "I'm so sorry for everything! I never thought it would result to this!"

Guy sighed again and looked up at the sky. If he listened very carefully, he could hear the distant sound of the waterfall splashes. It was such a serene and soothing sound. He remembered meditating underneath that waterfall only a while ago. He wanted to go back there once more.

"There's nothing I can say or do that'll make this right." Kari mumbled dejectedly. "There's no way I can make up to you…or Asuka."

"Kari." Guy smiled, placing his hand on the young girl's shoulder. "I forgive you. I…I must admit that I'm a little disappointed, but I'm not angry at you. It was my fault that we didn't communicate enough with each other. I did my thing, and you did your own. We should have talked more."

"I'm sorry." Kari repeated again, feeling stupid.

"Warriors stumble, but they never fall down." Guy flashed a toothy grin at the petite DigiDestiend. He gave her a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. This isn't the end of the road for us! We are the optimistic children of Konoha! We will fight back for our honour and our pride!"

Kari couldn't help but laugh at such an overdramatic statement. Guy always had a way of phrasing sentences that made her laugh. And it had been such a long while since Kari laughed in this game. She almost forgot this was simply just a _game_.

"You're such a good guy." Kari smiled faintly at the ninja. "You're actually the one who's comforting me. It's supposed to be the other way around!"

"See this handsome face? See this enthusiastic spirit? See this impenetrable soul?" Guy motioned his thumb towards himself. "This is what the springtime of youth is made up of!"

_**Guy:**__ Kari did put me in a very undesirable position in the tribe, but there is no use in getting angry at her. She already feels super bad for what she has done, and I don't want her to feel any more miserable. It's true that I'm probably doomed unless I win immunity, but I always loved a good challenge. Besides, the greatest comeback stories always revolve around the triumphant underdogs!_

He nodded his head a few times to himself.

_**Guy:**__ When the merge comes, I'm taking Kari with me and we're going over to Tsunade. I am not out of this game yet. I will fight back! Believe it!_

- - -

Normally, Shannon Casull was responsible for preparing the food in Tsunade, three meals per day. He woke up every morning with a new menu idea in his head. Even with the limited food resources, he still managed to add a bit of flavour to the otherwise bland and tasteless foods. All excellent chefs in _Survivor_ knew the best way to win over their tribe members was through their stomachs. And by cooking these delicious meals everyday, Shannon proved to be the most irreplaceable member of the tribe. Kurz used to joke that Shannon was Tsunade's very own _housewife_, because he can cook, clean, wash, hunt, and still find enough time to collect firewood as a side job.

But today was going to be completely different.

Meryl made sure that Shannon would not do one ounce of work today.

He should not even have to lift up a single finger.

Because today was going to be his big day off. Shannon was just going to rest and relax, while everyone else did the camp chores for a change.

"I have no desire to rest today." Shannon protested. He had not been informed that he was banned from work. Not until Meryl insisted that she will do the cooking this morning.

"No, you did enough work for a lifetime." Meryl shook her head, urging Shannon to rest in the shelter and sleep in. "You need to take a break. You deserve it. Let us handle the camp for a day."

"I don't have anything to do if I'm not working," muttered Shannon.

"Oh, nonsense! You'll fined something to entertain yourself with." Meryl waved her hand in dismissal. What a silly excuse! She pointed her finger at Zolo, who was currently yawning inside the shelter. "Look, why don't you hang out with Zolo? You guys seem to get along. You're like two peas in a pod."

"N-no, you don't understand…" Shannon grunted, but found himself continuing the rest of his sentence quietly in his head.

_Without my work, I…have…nothing._

_**Shannon: **__I'm aware of my strengths and weaknesses in this game. I've been very quiet, probably a little too quiet. My tribe has lived with me for over two weeks and I bet they don't know anything about me, except that I work hard and I say very little. I probably come across as a big antisocial weirdo. I don't like mingling with people, so I find the social aspects of this game very difficult. I don't think I'll ever get the hang of it._

He averted his eyes away from the camera.

_**Shannon:**__ Working is a way for me to express myself. It's a way for me to contribute to the tribe. Actions do speak louder than words, after all. I hope that by simply working hard, my tribe members will acknowledge and appreciate my presence._

Meryl won the argument in the end. She will be cooking breakfast today, as well as lunch and dinner, whether Shannon had a say in it or not. Roy and Faye were also working, and the pair was already in the forest collecting firewood (they seemed to do everything as a pair nowadays). Even Zolo was helping out, but his contribution factored in a completely different way.

"What's wrong with taking a day off? You can't do everything around camp." Zolo tried to explain to Shannon, who had retreated inside the shelter to sulk.

"I feel useless. I need to _do_ something, or I'll feel like I'm being useless." Shannon mumbled dejectedly.

"Geez, you need to stop thinking about work! You're making me look lazy," said Zolo, who was lying on the floor beside Shannon. He, of course, was enjoying the liberty of doing absolutely nothing.

"But look, she's not even doing it right. She's not boiling the water properly. The fire is dying. There's not enough firewood." Shannon watched Meryl from a distance, while mumbling impatiently to himself. At last, he decided to leave the shelter. "I'm going to help her."

"Meryl will be fine on her own. She's a woman." Zolo groaned.

Shannon bit his lips, not looking particularly convinced. He was still watching the petite Meryl, who sat by herself near the campfire, stirring the cooking pot with a stick. For some reason, he felt obliged to help her.

"Yo Shannon. You want something to do, right?" Zolo stood up and joined the tall swordsman by his side. "Come duel with me. I'm always up for a battle."

"Meryl needs…" Shannon began, but he was interrupted.

"_You_ need to occupy that head of yours with something else besides work." Zolo folded his arms across his chest. "And _I_ need a sparring partner who can match my strength."

Shannon closed his eyes, acting as if he was faced with a terribly difficult dilemma between two choices with equal importance. Except he _wasn't_ acting, for this was how he normally behaved everyday. Anyone else would have picked the fun choice without a second thought. But this was Shannon, who was always a bid odd, not to mention too ethical for his own good.

"I suppose…it won't hurt to slack off for a few hours." Shannon gave in at last. Zolo and Meryl were right – he didn't need to be constantly working to gain their respect. He took a heavy sigh before adding, "Only for a few hours though."

Zolo nodded his head, with a small smirk visible on his face. _My work here is done._

"I'll go get the machetes," said Shannon.

As soon as Shannon walked away, a relieved Zolo turned towards Meryl with a thumbs-up gesture. She nodded her head and smiled in response. Her plan was coming together quite nicely so far. She wasn't sure before, but now she knew she was doing the right thing by bringing the introverted Shannon out of his shell. That was what Orihime would have wanted. If only she was still in this game.

_**Meryl:**__ I feel a bit closer to Shannon ever since Orihime left. He's the closest thing to a friend I have out here. So, I'm trying to do something nice for Shannon in my own special way. Have him relax a little, bond with the other people in our tribe. This is exactly the type of thing that Orihime would have done if she was here. I guess her spirit of charity still lives within me! _

A few minutes later, the sparring session between the two swordsmen began. This was another mock duel, where they used machetes to simulate actual swords. Meryl, watching as a distant spectator, did not understand the entertainment behind such a violent activity. Nonetheless, Shannon and Zolo looked like they were having fun, and that was enough to make her happy.

Then suddenly–

"Oh my god!" Meryl gasped.

Zolo's machete struck down a little too hard and perhaps a little too swift. An off-guard Shannon was unable to block off his attack. And Meryl watched, quite helplessly, as the machete blade sank right into Shannon's bicep.

- - -

Fortunately, Zolo reacted quickly to stop himself. Had he not, Shannon's entire left arm might have been chopped off in one gruesome fashion. But as it was, the injury was not too severe, or at least not as bad as it looked from a distance. Shannon was able to stop the bleeding after a while just by clasping his hand over his wounded bicep.

"I'm fine. It's a harmless cut." Shannon insisted. He can tell by the horrified expression on Meryl and even Zolo's faces that they were worried about him.

"It's not just a cut, stupid! You're seriously hurt!" Meryl turned her head around, searching frantically for help. "We need to call the medics! This is an emergency!"

"I said I'm fine! My arm is still intact, isn't it? Don't make a big deal out of this!" Shannon shouted.

"He needs a bandage." Zolo grunted. The pirate sounded calmer than Meryl, yet he still looked a bit shocked at what had happened. "Go get the first-aid kit."

"Don't move, Shannon! Stay where you are!" Meryl barked.

Meryl returned with the medical kit and began tending Shannon's wound immediately. She wrapped a roll of bandage around his bicep in a gentle and tender manner. She worked at a very swift and efficient pace, but her effort was never hurried and never sloppy. During this whole process, Shannon gazed down at the ground and said nothing, like his usual self.

"There. Don't move that arm too much." Meryl said, patting her hand on Shannon's arm to make sure the bandage was in place. "I still say you should go check with the medical team, but…"

"I'm fine." Shannon grunted, gritting his teeth through the pain.

"You don't have to act tough all the time." Meryl glared at the two swordsmen. "Promise me you guys won't ever do this again."

"It's our only hobby." Shannon argued.

"Then find a _safer_ hobby, like…washing clothes! Are neither of you satisfied until you lose a body part?" Meryl shouted.

"Shit. I guess that means no more duelling for a while, huh?" Zolo frowned, looking a little bummed out. "Shannon is the one with a broken arm. I'm still in one piece. Why am I punished as well?"

"Zolo…you almost chopped off his arm." Meryl deadpanned.

"Good point," said Zolo, quite morbidly.

"And one more thing, I don't think you should carry those machetes around, not after witnessing how dangerous they are." Meryl averted her gaze away from Zolo, who didn't seem very pleased at the suggestion. "Don't…don't give me that look. I'm not trying to be bossy or anything. I just don't want to see you guys get hurt anymore.

"You're asking too much from me, woman!" Zolo exclaimed.

"Zolo, be reasonable!" Meryl scolded.

"A swordsman _never_ gives up his swords unless he is admitting defeat!" Zolo shook his head repeatedly for emphasis. "I'm not surrendering my machetes!"

"Let him be. It's not his fault that I got hurt." Shannon mumbled, "This is what happens when you won't let me do work."

"Wh…what? Are you saying that it's my fault you got hurt!?" Meryl gasped. She looked like she was either really angry or she was on the verge of tears. It was often difficult to determine what emotion was exploding out of the feisty insurance agent. "How can you even say that!? I was trying to help you, Shannon!"

"Don't get so upset. I was only joking." Shannon averted his gaze away.

"That was a joke?" Meryl made a face.

"Wait…" Zolo paused before doing a dramatic double take. It was now his turn to be totally surprised. "Shannon was _joking_!? Well hot damn, that's a first!"

Shannon shot the pirate a humourless look.

"Fine, keep the machetes. See if I care." Meryl muttered, blushing in embarrassment. She picked up the first-aid kit and began walking away. "Just shut up and rest. I'll call you impossible men when breakfast is ready."

_**Meryl: **__Men! Why do they insist on doing such foolish and dangerous things!? Don't they understand how much anguish I suffer because of their actions?__I hate to see people get hurt…I hate nursing their injuries…I hate it…I hate it so much._

She sighed to the camera.

_**Meryl:**__ Like it or not, I've lived with these men for the past two weeks, through the good times and the bad. And I'd be lying if I say I don't feel a little attached. I didn't like Shannon or Zolo at first, but opinions can change over time. It's difficult to stay hostile towards someone who wears the same coloured buff as you._

Now with a broken left arm, Shannon had no choice but to spend the remainder of the game resting in the shelter. He hated the feeling of doing nothing, but he also understood the capabilities of his body. Zolo kept him company, although the pirate seemed to be drifting off to sleep every now and then.

"Don't fall asleep." Shannon grunted to the pirate. "We're going to eat breakfast soon."

"What's taking her so long? I'm starving!" Zolo yawned.

"She's trying her best." Shannon muttered.

"You know, this was all Meryl's idea from the start. She was the one who came up with the let's-give-Shannon-a-day-off plan. We were all part of it, but she was the one who led the project." Zolo suddenly mentioned, "She even asked me to spar with you. I bet she felt so goddamn awful when she saw your injury."

"She's trying her best." Shannon repeated, but it was now in a different context.

"Meryl feels like a whole different person ever since Mai left." Zolo said casually. He put both his hands behind his head, getting ready for another nap. "And I gotta admit, I kind of like the change. She's way easier to live with."

"She probably didn't change that much. We just got to know her better." Shannon remarked.

"Yeah, I'm getting used to her now. She's still a bit mouthy, but you know…she means well. She's one of _us_," said Zolo.

Shannon nodded his head. He glanced over at Meryl, who was sitting alone near the campfire. It seemed like she was almost always sitting by herself, like a little lost orphan without a home.

"We need her to stay on our side after the merge." Zolo continued, now speaking in a sterner tone of voice. "I've been thinking about this for a long time. The only way Tsunade can survive the merge is if we all stick together. And that includes Meryl."

"Will Meryl stay loyal to us though? She might reunite with Mai instead." Shannon grumbled.

"No, I know she will never betray Tsunade." Zolo smiled confidently. He gestured his thumb towards his Tsunade buff, which was wrapped around his forehead like a bandana. "Because green is the colour of _loyalty_."

- - -

The two tribes received a surprising piece of treemail today.

"There's no need to meet up with Iruka this afternoon. The reward challenge will be held within your own campsite." Holland read out what was written on the scroll of parchment. "You're required to build a rescue signal that can be viewed clearly from the sky. In a few hours, two specially selected judges will fly over your campsites and judge the effectiveness of your signals. The tribe with the most effective and also the most creative rescue signal will win the reward. Good luck."

"So, what's the reward?" Bulma asked.

"It doesn't say here. I guess it's a mystery until we win it." Holland quickly skimmed through the mail again. "However, it does tell us to sit someone out since we've one extra member in our tribe. Any volunteers?"

"I can sit this one out." Guy raised his arm up in the air to everyone's surprise. The boisterous ninja smiled delightfully at his tribe members. "It's not a very physical challenge, so you won't need my strength. I want to save up my energy to win immunity instead."

"Are you insane!? We need you! You're the strongest guy in our tribe!" Mai exclaimed.

"No, Guy can sit out if he wants to." Holland sounded somewhat annoyed. Of course, he was confident that Jiraiya didn't _need_ Guy to win a challenge. They were perfectly capable on their own. This was the chance to show everyone that Guy was ultimately replaceable.

Since Holland seemed like he already made up his mind, nobody else dared to defy his decision. Mai actually felt dubious with this illogical choice, because Jiraiya was a rather dismal team once the muscle was pulled out of the equation. However, if these two men wanted to partake in a battle of the egos, who was she to stop what they were doing? And thus, for the first _and_ last time in _Survivor: Konoha_, Might Guy would not be participating in a challenge.

"Good luck, guys! May the springtime of youth be with you in spirit!" Guy laughed, before turning around and departing into the forest.

_**Guy:**__ I chose not to compete in the reward challenge today for my own good. I doubt I'll be able to refrain myself from clashing with certain members of my tribe. Arguing about work ethics always seems to bring out an ugly atmosphere, and I'm trying my best to avoid any ugliness if possible. Besides, I think it will be quite interesting to watch how my tribe performs without me. Let them appreciate what I bring forth to the tribe!_

"We need fire and smoke. That'll catch their attention for sure!" Bulma suggested. She scanned her eyes around the perimeters of the campsite and hummed to herself. "I can picture our signal right now. We should build a large ring around us and set it on fire. It's going to look so _hot_ from above!"

"That's going to take a lot of time," muttered Holland.

"And we want to make sure we don't start a forest fire," added Kari.

"Well…the ring doesn't have to be enormous. It can be medium-sized. Or even small." Bulma tried to reduce the excessiveness of her idea. "It doesn't even need to be shaped like a ring! We just need to incorporate fire in our signal somehow."

"Our signal needs a definite shape, or it won't catch their eyes." Mai pointed out.

"What if we build our signal like this?" Harley asked, drawing a rough sketch on the ground with a stick. "We can have a big fire in the centre of our campsite…and then we can expand this by making several smaller fires _here_ and _here…_you see? If we build our signal like this, it sort of looks like a sun!"

"The idea doesn't sound bad…" Holland scratched his chin.

"As long as we position the fire at the centre of our camp, we won't have to worry about burning any trees down by accident." Harley smiled as he explained, "Sounds good?"

"Your idea looks good on paper, but we'll see how it turns out in actuality. It'll probably be hard to determine exactly where the centre point of our campsite is, but let's get to work anyway." Holland clapped his hands together, signifying that he had made a decision. "We have no time to waste. Let's go collect as much firewood as possible, then we'll build it into the shape that we want – a sun, a ring, a star or whatever…and finally, we'll set our signal on fire."

"Ooh, it's going to be so _sizzling_ and _stylish_! I love it!" Harley laughed, while exchanging an excited high-five with his buddy Mai. "You know what, guys? I think we have this challenge in the bag!"

- - -

On the contrary, Tsunade was hardly the most creative tribe, so they decided to make their rescue signal plain and simple, yet still very noticeable from above. And in order to achieve this goal, they all knew their creation would have to be extremely _enormous_. The larger the better, because size did matter. Their gigantic signal, which was made out of wood, sticks, and branches, would spell out three letters – the classic _S.O.S._signal that was appropriate for any rescue situation. This wasn't the most original idea, but it was practical and it was achievable. The only fancy aspect came from Roy, who suggested they build a small fire pit in the centre of their letter 'O'.

And that was pretty much the gist of their rescue signal. Nothing fancy, but it was simple and practical, just like the way Tsunade operated.

The rest of their work amounted to collecting materials in order to construct their signal. Fortunately, the hardworking Shannon had a habit of stacking extra firewood around the campsite in case of emergency, which gave Tsunade a head start in the challenge. While Roy and Zolo set off with their machetes in the forest, Shannon and the two women stayed behind to assemble their '_S.O.S._'. Occasionally, Faye would have to climb up a tree to visualize how their signal looked from above, because the shape of their letters must be large, clear and readable.

It took Tsunade several long and tiresome hours to complete their '_S.O.S._' signal. There were some minor annoyances along the way, such as Shannon's injured left arm holding him back from his full potential. But overall, Tsunade worked efficiently as a team and they managed to finish their signal ahead of time.

Faye climbed up a tree to examine their signal for the last time. Viewing from a tree branch that she was sitting on, she could see three colossal letters clearly defined on the ground. She could even see the little fire that Roy constructed in the centre of the letter 'O'. A thin column of smoke, thickening as she watched, was slowly oozing skyward and above. And Faye smiled, because that felt like the last finishing touch on what seemed like a magnificent masterpiece…

"How does it look, Faye?" Roy shouted to the bounty huntress on the tree.

"It looks…_empty_." Faye paused, feeling confused. Were her eyes playing tricks on her? But no, the more she stared at the rescue signal, the more she felt it looked incomplete. Something was wrong. Something was missing. Their signal looked like a piece of artwork that was lacking a particular paint stroke to make it _whole_.

"Empty!? What the hell!? Huh, what do you mean!?" Zolo yelled out impatiently.

"It's lacking a special…_something_. I don't know how to describe it. This thing just doesn't have the oomph." Faye leapt down from the tree and rejoined her tribe members. She shrugged her shoulders. "It needs one more thing."

"We worked so hard on it! What could be missing!?" Meryl asked.

"May be…just may be…" Faye pondered over her thoughts with a mischievous smile. "May be we should get naked."

Unsurprisingly, her remark was met with four blank faces. Nobody quite knew how to respond to Faye's outrageous suggestion. It was Roy who replied first, clearing his throat and attempting to appear reasonable.

"Excuse me?" Roy asked, hoping that he misheard the bounty huntress the first time.

"I think everyone should get naked. We should go the full monty in this challenge." Faye's smile grew wider on her face, while everyone else's turned even glummer than before. "Our signal is missing some _skin_. If we all got naked and danced around the signal, that'd be the icing on the cake!"

"You're joking, right?" Zolo gave her an uncertain look.

"They can't see you from above." Shannon pointed out. "They'll only focus on the signal."

However, those discouraging words weren't enough to stop Faye from undressing herself anyway. First the shirt, then her shorts, followed by her undergarments. In a matter of seconds, she had removed all articles of clothing from her body (not that she was wearing a lot to begin with) and stood completely naked among her clothed tribe members. They actually seemed more uncomfortable than Faye herself, with several of the men turning their heads away in embarrassment.

"So, who's next?" Faye grinned. She put each on her hand on her bare hips. "Don't be shy!"

_**Roy:**__ The sad thing is this isn't the first time we've seen Faye naked in a challenge. It's like the third time for me actually. That woman just can't seem to keep her clothes on. She's like the Richard Hatch of Konoha. Not that I'm complaining about the view, because it's a very pleasant view, but you know…is it…I mean…I uh, I'm speechless. Just speechless._

"You're a very brave woman, Faye. But this is kind of awkward…" Meryl chuckled.

"It's only uncomfortable because you guys aren't looking." Faye shrugged her shoulders. She picked up her clothes on the ground and began folding them. "Besides, I'm only doing it for the challenge. I think it'll give us a leg up if any of the judges are men."

"Put…put your clothes o-on." Zolo stammered nervously, trying his best to avert his eyes elsewhere from the nude woman. His face was coloured with a rosy red tint. "You're going to catch a cold."

"The fire will keep me warm." Faye smirked.

"No, it isn't. In fact, we won't even have a fire in a few minutes." Zolo sounded annoyed and frustrated at the same time. "Just look at the sky."

"What about the sky?" Faye asked, glancing upwards.

And then, a drop of _water _landed on her nose. It was the first of many raindrops on this dark and cloudy Konoha afternoon.

- - -

It was only when Holland Novak stood in the pouring rain did he realize how much the _Survivor _gods hated the Jiraiya tribe. They were already behind schedule in this challenge, but it didn't help matters when the sky began to drizzle all of a sudden, and the rainfall continued ever since. Although Jiraiya tried to fight this unexpected hardship by completing their signal in the rain, they knew their chances of winning were washed away the moment a raindrop landed in their campsite.

Their rescue signal, which was based on fire, was essentially useless in the rain. What was supposed to look like a burning sun now appeared more like a pile of wet firewood laid out in a disgustingly uncoordinated manner.

The sun was dead.

After putting in a half-assed effort to finish their worthless signal, the Jiraiya tribe huddled inside the shelter to shield themselves from the rain. Only Holland decided to camp outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of the judges' helicopter when it flew by. Meanwhile, Kari just sat inside the shelter and sighed. All their hard work in the past few hours had amounted to nothing due to some uncontrollable factor they could not (and did not) predict. Life just seemed so unfair sometimes.

"Don't look so depressed, Kari. We tried our best." Mai placed a comforting hand on the DigiDestiend's shoulder. "And hey, who knows? The other tribe might have an even worse signal than us. This rainfall must've ruined their plans too, right?"

"I…I've no expectations, but it seems like such a waste of our time, you know? We worked so hard into building that rescue signal, but for what?" Kari mumbled.

"Yeah, life sucks most of the time, I know." Mai laughed. She then handed Kari a piece of fruit that she had been sharing with Harley and Bulma earlier. "Here, have a mango. Cheer up."

"I guess you're right." Kari smiled faintly at the blonde. "Thanks, Mai."

Some time later, a black helicopter flew across the Jiraiya and Tsunade campsites. The two judges responsible for evaluating the rescue signals happened to be the _actual_ Jiraiya and Tsunade in person. They were the real-life counterparts of the two tribe names. He, Jiraiya, was a legendary Sennin. And she, Tsunade, was the well-respected Fifth Hokage. Of course, these two judges ended up being almost unnecessary in the challenge, because there had been virtually no contest between the two tribes' signals.

The rescue signal in the Jiraiya tribe was tiny and indistinguishable in the rain. Perhaps had it been lit, the signal would have looked more impressive. But in the rain, it took some time before the judges could even identify _where_ the signal was located. Unsurprisingly, neither judge liked the signal very much, nor did they have the foggiest idea what the signal was supposed to resemble in the first place.

In contrast, the Tsunade tribe had a much clearer and much simpler presentation. Their rescue signal was easily identifiable even in the rain. Right away, the two judges could identify the three letters '_S.O.S._' spelled out in gigantic letters written on the ground. While it was not the most creative message in the world, at least it _looked_ like a rescue signal, unlike the other tribe's efforts.

And thus, Tsunade easily won this reward challenge in a landslide victory.

And the once triumphant Jiraiya tribe lost another challenge. This was their second loss in a row.

And had Might Guy been a superstitious man, he might start to feel a little _nervous_ about the upcoming immunity challenge.

- - -

**DAY 17**

One did not cross Holland Novak and expect to stay on his good list. The strict Jiraiya leader was not a forgiving man. Although he claimed that he had put tribal council behind him, Kari knew better. The moment she confessed to casting that vote, she had essentially declared war against her tribe. Holland was more than happy to reciprocate, if that was how Kari decided to play this game. He had put so much trust in her before, and she had let him down in the worst possible way. Holland remembered asking Kari whom she was voting for before tribal council, but she had flat out lied to him (or so he thought) by replying Asuka's name. Yet, tribal council showed a contradictory result, and suddenly, she was no longer the honest, innocent, angelic little girl he used to know. He didn't even know exactly _who_ Kari Kamiya was anymore.

Holland was definitely disappointed in Kari, but he also suspected that she was acting under the influence of her friend Guy. He always knew the two shared a close bond together. He just didn't think she would choose the ninja over him. In any case, it was clear that Guy instigated the shocking rebellion and Kari was just a follower. While the headstrong Jonin was more or less a lost cause, Holland figured that at least Kari can still be redeemed. With a gentle push in the right direction, he believed he can win her over again and gain an ally in the DigiDestiend once more.

All Holland needed to do was secure her loyalty. And as far as he was concerned, there was only one possible way to do this.

"I need to have a word with you." Holland muttered to the petite DigiDestined, who just woke up a few minutes ago. "Come with me to get treemail."

Kari sighed silently to herself. She did not look forward to chatting with Holland one-on-one. Between his interrogative glances, his pointed questions, and his intimidating demeanour, she sometimes felt she was being _interviewed_ instead of having an actual conversation. What made Holland such a commanding leader was that people either respected him or they feared him. And right now, it was the latter feeling that overwhelmed her.

"Why did you lie?" Holland asked, as soon as the two embarked on their trip into the forest. "Voting with Guy is one thing, but you promised me you'll vote out Asuka that night."

"I didn't lie to you, Holland." Kari replied quietly. After a hesitant pause, she added with a bit more insistence in her voice, "I_ did_ vote for Asuka in the end."

"You're still lying to me. You're not a very good liar, you know that?" Holland frowned.

"I know you wouldn't believe me…" Kari averted her gaze elsewhere.

"Listen, Kari. I want to trust you, but you've been acting very shady in the past few days." Holland said, folding his arms across his chest. "As of now, I don't know where we stand with each other. You're not being very open with me. That's not good."

"You accused me of lying! How else am I supposed to respond?" Kari argued.

"Can you look me in the eye and honestly say you haven't lied about your vote!?" Holland snapped, raising his tone of voice. "Can you swear on your life that you've been one hundred percent honest with me!?"

The last remark struck a nerve with Kari, because deep inside her conscience, she found herself unable to swear on the basis of a lie. As much as she hated to admit it, she was in fact quite dishonest about her vote. Perhaps not to Holland, but she certainly misled Asuka and Guy into thinking that she was on their side. Now, one of them was gone and the other one was on the verge of leaving next tribal council. And it was all Kari's fault…

"I'm sorry." Kari mumbled at last, dropping her head in shame. What she apologized for was unclear, but Holland seemed to have interpreted it as a satisfying response.

"We all make stupid mistakes sometimes." Holland sounded a bit calmer than before, although the frown appeared permanently fixed on his face. "What's more important is knowing _how_ we can redeem ourselves from these mistakes afterwards."

Kari was unsure what Holland was trying to imply, but she nodded her head anyway.

"I want to be able to trust you, Kari. But words alone aren't enough. You have to give me some proof." Holland continued, "That's why I want you to vote Guy out at the next tribal council. Then, I'll know you're completely trustworthy."

_**Holland:**__ Kari is a loyal person at the core, so I can trust her to a certain extent. As the merge draws nearer, it's important that she isn't alienated from the rest of Jiraiya. I can't allow her to defect to the other tribe, not at this stage of the game. Whether I trust her or not, Kari is an important vote that I must keep on my side._

As usual, there was a distinct coldness in Holland's voice that made him sound rather apathetic when he spoke.

_**Holland:**__ Guy is just unpredictable enough to join forces with the enemy tribe. But Kari won't make a big move at the merge unless he's right there with her. Take him out of the game and she has no support to fall back on. It's just one of the many reasons why I want Guy out of the game. All threats must be exterminated before it's too late._

"You're asking me to vote out my only friend?" Kari mumbled in a dejected voice.

"Guy is a sinking ship. Get off while you still can." Holland said, putting his hand on the young girl's shoulder. "Kari, I'm giving you an opportunity for redemption. This is your chance to make everything right again. This is your chance to prove to me – and everyone in Jiraiya – that you're still trustworthy."

"And if I don't vote for Guy?" Kari asked quietly.

"Then you're not playing this game for the long term." Holland offered her a wry smile, but she didn't find his remark amusing at all. In fact, she looked just downright miserable.

"I don't want to do this, Holland. Please don't make me choose…" Kari closed her eyes.

But of course, her pleas were futile. She was speaking to Holland after all. He was the type who simply will not take _no_ for an answer. Kari wished she was a little stronger, but why should she put herself at risk in front of the man who will determine her fate? What was the use in defying Holland just to fight in a losing battle?

Kari gave in eventually. Yes, she will vote Guy out even if she didn't like it. And no, she promised she'll never lie to Holland again. What was the point of being stubborn? Nobody was going to give her a merit award for staying true to the Konoha ninja. Why not save her own skin while she still can?

"I'm glad you made the right choice." Holland said, patting Kari on the head in an almost condescending manner. Like he had always thought, she easily buckled under pressure.

_The right choice is always what Holland wants me to do. _Kari thought. She can already feel a sour taste lingering in her mouth. _I have no free thought. I'm just another puppet to Jiraiya._

She just wanted to get away, as far away from Holland as humanly possible. A few minutes later, Kari excused herself from the Jiraiya leader, telling him she wasn't feeling well and did not want to continue this treemail hike. Holland already got what he wanted, so he agreed to let her go. Thus, she was finally free from his clutch.

Once she was released, Kari wandered aimlessly in the forest afterwards. She did not want to return to camp, nor did she have any desire to see her other tribe members. Bulma hated her. Harley _despised _her. Even Guy, who gallantly forgave Kari, would have loathed her if he discovered that she had betrayed him once again. There was no one in Jiraiya who liked Kari. She had nobody by her side.

"Hey Kari!" A cheery voice suddenly shouted out behind her. "What're you doing out here!?"

"Mai…" Kari mumbled as she turned around and saw the blonde waving at her from a distance. She did not know a lot about the mysterious Mai Valentine, other than the fact that she and Harley were always together. In fact, Kari was a little surprised that he wasn't with her right now.

"It's dangerous to be out here by yourself. I actually saw a snake or two back there. Harmless, I hope." Mai gestured her thumb at the trees behind her. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "Anyway, I'm just looking for some fruits. Hey, want a mango?"

"Mai..." Kari repeated the blonde's name for a second time. It was true that she didn't know much about Mai Valentine, but this was the same woman who offered Kari a mango yesterday and another one today. She certainly seemed friendly enough. And Kari also felt lonely enough, not to mention desperate. She just wanted to talk with someone about her problems – just _anyone_.

_**Kari: **__I don't know how to describe this feeling within me. I feel like I'm slowly suffocating, but I can't talk to anyone about this. It's like if I don't act strong in front of my tribe, they're going to vote me out. If I don't do what they tell me to do, they're going to vote me out. But I'm so tired of it. And I just want to talk to somebody…so, so badly…_

Of course, Guy was the most logical option for companionship, if only Kari didn't feel a pang of guilt slap her across the face every time she saw the Jonin. She could not even make eye contact with Guy, let alone confide in him. Besides, she had given him enough problems as it is.

_**Kari:**__ But I always have to keep my guard up, because there's nobody in this tribe that I trust. There's absolutely nobody…_

"Is everything okay, Kari? You don't look well." Mai put her arms on her hips, looking concerned.

"I-I'm fine!" Kari shook her head. She tried her best to muster a weak smile on her face. "This game is just bringing me down a little."

"Anything I can help you with?" Mai asked.

"It's stupid really. It's not even worth worrying about." Kari shook her head.

"It's not about a guy, is it?" Mai raised her eyebrow, almost in a teasing manner. "You don't have a crush on one of those knuckleheads in Tsunade, do you?"

"No! Of course not! You're being silly!" Kari laughed.

"I don't know what's bothering you, but keep your chin up, girlfriend. You need to stay strong no matter what the adversary is. Don't let those bastards bring you down!" Mai winked mischievously at her.

Kari laughed again. How refreshing it was to talk with somebody who didn't judge her like a condemned prisoner! It felt like such a long time since Kari wasn't apologizing or defending herself in any given conversation. But here she was, speaking to another _equal_. Mai was like a breath of fresh air, so welcoming and so surprisingly warm. For a very brief moment, Kari almost felt she could confide in Mai, confessing all her secrets to the blonde, as if the two of them can possibly be friends.

But that feeling didn't last long, because another intruder arrived at the scene.

"I was wondering where you went, girly girl! You gave me quite the scare!" Harley appeared behind Mai all of a sudden, tapping her on the shoulder. It took him a few seconds before he realized that Kari was also present. His expression darkened immediately. "Oh, you're with _her_."

"Um, I have to get going." Kari mumbled hastily. She looked very uncomfortable. "S…see you guys later."

Holding back tears, the petite girl turned around and began walking away. She didn't understand why a sudden wave of emotions struck her – it was not like Harley said anything nasty to her (although he did act somewhat hostile about her presence). But Kari simply got the feeling that she did not _belong_, and that was why she left.

For some strange reason, Mai can sympathize with the DigiDestiend, almost identifying with her pain. Yet, there was nothing she can do for Kari, at least not under the watchful eye of Harley. She watched the young girl's figure grow fainter and fainter from a distance. Soon, Mai turned away as well.

The two women, who might have been friends under the right circumstances, went their separate ways.

- - -

Tsunade did not find out they won the reward challenge until Iruka made a surprising appearance at their camp today. It was Meryl who spotted him first, and it was she who let out a gleeful shriek that alerted everyone about the news.

"Congratulations Tsunade! You're the winners of the sixth reward challenge!" Iruka announced. He allowed a pause so the victorious tribe can briefly bask in their glory. Unlike the last immunity challenge, Tsunade actually won this one fair and square. "I'm here to give you your rewards."

The tribe looked down at the bamboo cage that Iruka was carrying in his hands. Inside the cage were three lively chickens, clucking noisily in the background as Iruka spoke.

"We won chickens?" Roy asked, sounding surprised.

"Yeah, we won chickens!" Meryl laughed enthusiastically. She pumped her fist in the air. "How cool is that? We didn't suck in a challenge for once!"

"You can do whatever you want with these chickens. Feed them, eat them, raise them, free them…whatever you like. They're yours for keeps," said Iruka. The host handed the chicken cage over to Zolo, who smiled strangely at the three chickens. "Enjoy your reward, Tsunade. I'll see you guys at the immunity challenge tomorrow."

_**Zolo:**__ The introductions were short and sweet. Chickens, meet Tsunade. Chickens, meet my machetes. Chickens, meet my empty stomach. Chickens, goodbye!_

"They don't look very bright." Faye eyed the three chickens in the cage and grinned. "I shall name them Roy, Shannon and Zolo."

"Don't name them after us. It's weird." Shannon grumbled.

"Okay, Shannon is dying first. We're eating that skinny one tonight." Faye teased, pointing her finger at the chicken in the middle.

"Wait, we're eating them?" Meryl made a face.

As if she had said the taboo words, the pleasant atmosphere at camp a few seconds ago suddenly evaporated into thin air. Four sets of eyes laid curiously on Meryl, making her feel like she had to defend her stance.

"I thought may be we could keep these chickens alive." Meryl shrugged her shoulders, trying to act as casual as possible. "I mean, they can lay eggs too, right?"

Still, there was no response. The atmosphere felt even heavier than before. Most of her tribe members averted their eyes away from her, but Meryl could hear their judgmental thoughts in her head. Even if they didn't say anything to her, the uncomfortable and unsatisfied expressions on their faces said it all.

"Eggs can be very nutritious, that I know for a fact." Meryl continued in a shaky voice. "Besides, look at how small and helpless those chickens are! They're not going to be very filling even if you consume them."

Nobody was speaking to her. Nobody even looked at her. Meryl was beginning to feel very anxious. Had she said something wrong again? Should she have kept her mouth shut like she had warned herself so many other times before?

"Don't act like I'm some crazy woman." Meryl smiled weakly at her tribe members.

"It…it's just that…" Shannon cleared his throat uncomfortably. He was not sure what to say to the outspoken insurance agent. "We need meat in our systems. How are we going to compete in the challenges without any strength?"

"Eggs and meat, big difference in the fulfilling scale." Zolo pretended to weigh the two with his hands. "No contest. We should be eating those chickens right now!"

"If we keep these chickens alive, we'll have to feed them everyday. And that chicken feed will be coming right out of our food supplies," added Roy.

The three men argued their points so rapidly and so effectively that an overwhelmed Meryl did not have any time to think of a proper rebuttal. She glanced over at Faye in hopes for some assistance from another woman, but the bounty huntress offered nothing more than an amused smirk.

_Keep digging yourself that hole, bitch. _Faye thought in silent glee. _Want me to hand you another shovel while you're at it?_

"I just think it's kind of _cruel_ to…to slaughter something that just came to our tribe." Meryl sighed, dropping her head down in disappointment.

"May be we should name those chickens after me instead." Faye smirked.

Roy also had a discreet smirk on his face, but he hid it well from his other tribe members. He was the only one who caught the joke.

"I don't know what your problem is. I hunt animals every now and then. You weren't complaining when you were wolfing them down." Zolo folded his arms across his chest. "Why make such a big deal over a couple of chickens? They're just chickens!"

"But why do we have to _kill_ everything!? What's wrong with keeping living creatures _alive_ for a change!?" Meryl cried.

The sheer volume of her voice silenced the entire tribe once again. Zolo fixed his gaze on the angry insurance agent, but failed to find the appropriate words to say. Realizing the distressing effect her words have caused, Meryl shook her head in an apologetic manner.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I just grew too attached to the chickens." Meryl muttered.

"Look, it's not easy for me too. You think I'm some kind of sicko that likes to kill things? But we have to eat, Meryl. That's the only way we can survive out here." Zolo shot an angry glance at the chickens, as if blaming them for all the problems.

"No, I understand." Meryl bit her lips, looking defeated. "You go ahead and do whatever you have to do."

"If you want, I won't…I won't kill those chickens in front of you. If that makes you uncomfortable, I'll wait until you're gone," said Zolo.

Meryl wished she could thank the pirate for this rare occasion of thoughtfulness, but words failed to escape from her mouth. Just the thought of these chickens _dying_ sickened her to the stomach. Worse of all, these chickens were only dying to satisfy their own selfish needs. Meryl can already imagine their helpless cries as they meet the end of the merciless machete blade. The blood, the cries, the sacrifices – it was just too much for her!

She turned around and walked away from the group without another remark. Head down, hands in her pocket, and feet stumbling as she walked each step. She was not walking away because she was taking a stand for what she believed in. She walked away because she was disappointed in herself, unable to protect those chickens that were going to die behind her back. She felt like the biggest coward in the world as she marched into the forest, tumbling in a pit of despondent darkness.

Her tribe watched Meryl leave without saying a word. Some of them wished they could comfort her, but what could they say? It was only out of Meryl's earshot did Zolo begin to speak again to his tribe members.

"See! That's why you shouldn't name those chickens!" Zolo muttered sourly. "You get sentimental and shit, you know?"

_**Meryl: **__Standing there, I feel so hopeless because I couldn't rescue the chickens. They were going to die and I couldn't intervene. It's almost like I…I was the one who murdered them. He…he…he's going to be so disappointed in me. I know he is…_

She let her voice trail off for a moment, as if she was paralyzed in a painful memory. Was it a love that she referred to as a 'he'? This was not the first time she had mentioned the mysterious man in a confessional. But whenever the _Survivor_producers asked Meryl who she was thinking about, she laughed it off and never elaborated. She always seemed to be hiding secrets from the producers. May be even hiding from herself.

_**Meryl:**__ My tribe probably thinks I overreacted, but I can't help the way I feel. This is the only way I know how. I live as I feel._

Why Roronoa Zolo was looking for this annoying and occasionally moody woman in the forest, he did not know. After her emotional departure, he just felt an obligation in his conscience to look for her. Not because he wanted to apologize, but just simply to check if she was still emotionally stable. He found Meryl sitting by the waterfall like usual, gazing at the ripples in the water. Zolo surprised himself for finding her so easily; he must have known her better than he thought he did. With a moment of hesitation, and only after taking a deep breath, he marched forward to greet the woman by the waterfall.

"You're not going crazy, are you?" Zolo asked.

"I'm alright if that's what you're asking." Meryl replied flatly.

"Good." Zolo grunted.

Now that he had some time to think about his words, Zolo couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed with his insensitive approach. Comforting other people just wasn't his forte, especially if it was a woman. The pirate wanted to turn around and leave right there and then, but his feet remained still on the ground and his heart anchored him to his conscience. Here was a terribly upset woman in front of him. How can any real man turn away from her in this moment of vulnerability?

"I wish I brought Roy with me. He always has a better way with words." Zolo muttered.

"It's the thought that counts." Meryl smiled, turning around to look at the pirate for the first time. From the way her reddish eyes looked, Zolo can tell that she had been crying for quite a while.

"Look, I…I just came here to…to check up on you." Zolo averted his gaze away, suddenly feeling a warm sensation within him when he felt her eyes set upon his face. "I see that you're okay, so I should get going."

"I'm sorry if I have been a burden to you. I understand that I've been acting like an emotional wreck for the past few days." Meryl sniffled quietly.

"You're not a wreck. May be emotional, but you're not wrecked. Not completely." Zolo paused as a sheepish grin crossed his face. "I'm not real good at this comforting stuff, am I?"

Meryl laughed. She then returned her gaze back to the ripples by the waterfall.

"Am I next?" Meryl asked all of a sudden, almost catching Zolo by surprise. She clarified his question so that he would understand. "Am I going home at the next tribal council?

"No! No, of course not. It's Faye. It was always Faye leaving next." Zolo replied hastily.

Meryl nodded her head a few times. She felt a little better knowing that she was safe at the next tribal council. She always assumed she ranked higher than Faye in the hierarchy, but hearing it from Zolo's mouth definitely reassured her. Out of all the men, she can believe his word the most. He was the honest one. The reliable one. The honourable one.

"I'm glad that I can stay here for a few more days. It means a lot to me." Meryl mumbled as she gazed absentmindedly at the waterfall. "So…thank you."

"You make it sound so damn formal. Are you sure you're okay?" Zolo grumbled.

"Well, you did cheer me up a little when I found out you guys weren't voting me out." Meryl smiled.

"If you want me to cheer you up…" Zolo paused as he thought over the phrasing of his next words carefully. "Join our alliance. You're part of us."

The petite woman widened her eyes as she turned her head back to glance at Zolo again. She was genuinely surprised to hear these words out of his mouth. In fact, she was so taken back that she did not know how to respond at first. However, the impatient Zolo interpreted her silence as an indirect refusal.

"You're not interested. Forget that I asked." Zolo grumbled in annoyance. He turned around, feeling like he made a fool out of himself.

"Zolo, you didn't have to ask." Meryl said finally, freezing the young pirate in his steps. She stood up and began walking towards him. A faint smile now appeared on her face. "I was _always_ a part of Tsunade, stupid. I am and I always will be. This is my tribe."

Hearing these words brought out such a delightful grin in Zolo that it was like he never grinned before. He extended his arm out and she grabbed it and shook it with firmness. Shake and confirm. It took seventeen days of perseverance and hard work, but for the first time in this game, Meryl Stryfe was in the majority at last.

_**Zolo:**__ I admit I was wrong about Meryl before. She might be annoying and emotional sometimes, but she's also loyal and honourable. She proved to me today that she has a lot of character. No doubts about it. Meryl is a good woman._

- - -

Guy spent approximately the past hour, forty six minutes and twenty eight seconds meditating on a tree stump. Sitting peacefully somewhere in the forest, nothing disrupted his concentration other than the occasional insect buzzing in his ear. It was a tranquil location, even more so than the waterfall. Here, he became one with the forest, one with Mother Nature, and one with Konoha. Perhaps if he got acquainted well enough with his surroundings, he could seek forgiveness in his conscience.

And then, he heard a voice.

No, not one voice. _Voices_. There were multiple voices.

At first, Guy thought he was in the middle of a hallucination. Meditating sometimes had that effect when one did it on an empty stomach. But when Guy pinched himself in the cheek, he realized he was quite awake, thank you very much. The voices were not just figments of his imagination. They actually existed!

_Could it be!? _Guy gasped at the sheer thought. _Were the gods of Konoha sending me a message!?_

"It was her birthday today," said a low and masculine voice. Judging by the clear and flawless manner these words came out, whoever said this was obviously someone with a lot of self-confidence. "I was counting the days last night and I realized it was her birthday. It's funny because I never seem to remember this date every year. She'd always get angry at me because of that."

"Your wife's name is Talho, isn't it?" Another voice asked. This time, it was a woman speaking.

"Yes. It's Talho. She's quite the woman. I wish I brought a picture of her."

It didn't take long before Guy realized these were not the voices of his beloved Konoha gods. They actually belonged to two mere mortals in his tribe, Holland and Mai. Somehow, Guy had stumbled into a private conversation between the pair. As the voices grew nearer and nearer, he realized the pair was approaching him, but he could not identify where they were coming from. Guy was anxious about getting caught (he doesn't need to give them another reason to vote him out), but he also can't help but feel he might obtain some important information that he can use to his advantage later.

"Why don't we cut to the chase? I didn't call you to come here so we can talk about my wife." Holland said, while Mai chuckled softly in the background. "Let's get down to business, shall we? I'd like to hear your input on a couple of topics, Mai."

"Are you sure you can trust me? I'm the new girl, know what I mean?" Mai tried to sound as neutral as possible. It was almost like she was testing Holland for his reaction.

"You know you're not a newcomer anymore. I don't even remember that you're from the enemy tribe." Holland said without hesitation. "I see you as one of us. You're an official Jiraiya member."

"I'm very glad for that. Thank you."

Although Guy could not see the blonde, he can already picture her grinning from ear to ear as she spoke. Admittedly, it was quite an astonishing feat that Mai managed to worm herself to the power core with such effortless ease, as opposed to the eternal struggle that Faye endured on the other tribe.

"Do you have any objections to voting Guy out tomorrow?" Holland asked.

"I'm game if you all are," said Mai.

"Bulma and Harley are voting with us as well, so we'll have the numbers no matter who Kari chooses to vote for." Holland explained. He spoke like a man who knew exactly what he was doing. "Of course, I'd feel much safer if Kari votes for Guy. Then, I'll know for sure that she's loyal to Jiraiya."

"I think Harley is dying to vote Kari out. He actually sees her more as a threat than Guy," laughed Mai.

"What's his reasoning behind that logic?" Holland asked.

"He thinks Kari is too sneaky and underhanded. At least with Guy, we know what his stance is on most things." Mai nodded her head a few times, as if she was agreeing with what the Pokemon Coordinator had told her earlier. "Plus, he thinks Kari will stay for a long time after the merge. No one will want to get rid of such a non-entity like her."

"Harley's interests are noted, but they conflict with the tribe's best interests at the moment." Holland managed to provide a half-assed diplomatic response. "Anyway, it's a smooth ride once Guy is voted off. Jiraiya will dominate the game if we stay together at the merge. There's strength in numbers and we have the numbers. We eliminate our enemies one by one, until all that is left is the Jiraiya tribe, just like the way it's supposed to be."

_**Mai:**__ Is Tsunade really the enemy tribe? Holland seems to think so. But for me, it's more complicated than that. I have a history with both tribes, so I really don't know where I fit in. I'm literally the woman caught in the middle. I know it's kind of epic, but I feel like I'm Helen of Troy and a war is going to erupt because of me!_

The blonde gave a playful laugh. She was one of the few players who never appeared too serious in her confessionals, even though she sounded a bit dramatic at times.

_**Mai:**__ I didn't leave on the best terms with everyone in Tsunade, so it's hard to say if they even like me. But Meryl and I were pretty close when we're still together, so I look forward to meeting up with her again. Some of the men I can do without, but I feel bad if I just turn my back on them. It just feels…cold._

At last, Guy saw them. He could see the distant figures of Holland and Mai walking in front of him. They didn't seem to have noticed him yet. Guy followed his instinct and ran away in the opposite direction, thus avoiding an awkward encounter. Even as he ran, he already knew the undeniable truth. There was no point in campaigning anymore. It was either him or Kari, and Guy _cannot_ campaign against his dear friend Kari. In fact, it pained him to know that he can only be spared at her expense. What type of man did they take him as if they'd rather vote a harmless little girl out over him!? Worst of all, there was nothing he can do to control his fate or even Kari's fate.

All Guy can do now was to wait for the immunity challenge.

And pray that the gods of Konoha will bless him with a victory.

- - -

Faye tried every trick in the book to no avail. Every time she tried to campaign in Tsunade, the results were always the same. Roy would grow evasive. Shannon would become non-committal. And Zolo would just flat out refuse to betray his tribe. She even tried talking to Meryl of all people, but no one in Tsunade wanted to rock the boat. Yet, she was so close to the merge, just one tribal council away, before she can be reunited with her allies in Jiraiya once more. Then, she will be free again. Then, she will be in a position of power again. If only she can make it past this next tribal council. Or more specifically, if only she can win the next immunity challenge, she will be home free.

Her fate rested in the outcome of the immunity challenge and it frustrated Faye to no end. She hated the feeling of helplessness. She hated having no control over her own game. Despite her fondness for gambling, she was not the type of woman who liked to leave things up to chance.

So, Faye Valentine decided to take fate into her own hands.

And that was why she sneaked out to the Jiraiya camp in the middle of her night, so she can tell her only ally to _rescue_ her.

When Faye arrived, everyone in the tribe was asleep inside the shelter, just as Faye had hoped. She quietly made her way to the hammock, which she remembered was Harley's favourite hangout in the camp. A vengeful Asuka destroyed it days ago, but Bulma reconstructed another one in no time. Harley occupied most of his spare time resting in this hammock – the perfect spot to have a quick energy nap in the middle of a lazy day. If there was any particular place Harley will visit tomorrow, Faye hoped this was the one.

She picked up a stick and wrote out a short message on the ground:

_Rescue me, F.V._

Her writing was large and legible, just like how any rescue signal was supposed to be. If Harley was to come to the hammock tomorrow morning, he will definitely see her message. There was no clear set of instructions defined in this vague note, which was only marked by her initials. And it was not even guaranteed that Harley will visit the hammock in the first place. These were all risks that she was willing to gamble on. Faye just hoped that her friend was clever enough to interpret her message correctly.

_Harley will understand what I mean. He's a smart guy. He'll know what to do. _Faye reassured herself in her head.

She wasn't sure if communicating with the other tribe was even allowed in _Survivor_, but breaking the rules was the least of her worries right now. It was too late to cry over spilt milk. Besides, it was only out of desperation that Faye came here tonight, looking for help from the only person who can rescue her. She was at the end of her ropes with nowhere else to go. She just didn't want to be voted off. This was her last rescue signal. This was her last cry for help.

_**Faye: **__I left a message to Harley last night. It's basically a message telling him to rescue me from this miserable hellhole. If he understands what I mean, he'll throw the immunity challenge tomorrow, so I won't have to go to tribal council. I know he might not see the message. I know he might not even understand it at all. I'm taking a big risk and I hope it pays off in the end._

She took a deep breath and sighed.

_**Faye:**__ If Harley doesn't rescue me, I'm going to get voted out. He is my last hope._

When Faye returned to Tsunade an hour later, she did not expect anybody to be awake. It must have been past midnight by now, and her tribe members were always a bunch of early sleepers. But to her surprise, she saw Roy Mustang seated next to the campfire, with a jacket wrapped around himself.

"Hey." Faye tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Where were you?" Roy mumbled.

"Oh god. Don't tell me…" Faye paused, struggling to get the appropriate words out of her mouth. "Don't tell me you were waiting for me this entire night."

"I couldn't find you anywhere. I was worried." Roy whispered in a soft voice.

"Idiot." Faye laughed, but she seemed visibly touched. It was this type of endearing gesture that made Roy such a hit with the ladies.

"Come on, let's get some rest." Roy said, slowly rising from his seat. "We have a big challenge tomorrow."

Faye nodded her head, following him into the shelter. She gave him a peck on the cheek and the two of them went to sleep. That night, Faye slept with a big sweet smile on her face, happy that any man would wait for the entire night because he was worried about her. Roy also slept with a smile on his face, albeit a devious one, because this one tiny gesture helped him achieve the near impossible – he won over Faye's heart. And that in essence meant Roy had the bounty huntress positioned right where he wanted her to be: in his control.

- - -

**DAY 18**

Shannon did not sleep well last night. He was kept awake for hours by his wounded left arm, which hurt more than he would like to admit. It was fortunate that the last reward challenge was not too physically demanding, allowing time for Shannon to rest and heal. He even cut back on his work, not totally, but enough to make him feel like he was not contributing to the tribe. Of course, his tribe members assured him otherwise, but Shannon was always his own toughest critic. He wished for a quicker recovery and not let something as trivial as an _injury_ get in his way.

This morning, Shannon took the first-aid kit and decided to change the bandages himself. Normally this was a job for the much more experienced medical team, but the stubborn swordsman refused to see the doctors. Doing so would be a sign of weakness. He'd much rather take care of himself and have everyone else leave him alone. If there was one thing Shannon Casull could not stand, it was pity.

"And what do you think you're doing, mister!?"

Shannon needn't turn around to know that Meryl was running behind him. He could recognize _that_ voice from a mile away. For a moment, the swordsman contemplated over the idea of running away, but he ended up staying firm on his spot, allowing Meryl to catch up to him.

"Shannon!" Meryl didn't look or sound very pleased with him. She eyed the medical kit that he was carrying in his hand. "You aren't planning to change the bandages by yourself, are you? Let _me_ help you."

"I can take care of it myself." Shannon muttered, but he knew it was no use. Meryl can be very stubborn when she wanted to be.

"Why do you insist on doing everything by yourself?" Meryl grabbed the medical kit from Shannon's hand before he could respond. "After all this time, why won't you trust me? Why won't you let me shoulder some of your burdens? I'm here for you!"

Shannon grumbled something unintelligible under his breath. Meryl didn't understand what he was muttering about, but she took a deep annoyed sigh anyway.

"Sit down. Take off your shirt. I'm going to change the bandages for you," said Meryl.

"You don't have to do this if it's motivated by pity." Shannon mumbled as he took off his shirt. Meryl then began unrolling the bandages on his left bicep. "I'm not here so you can feel better about yourself."

"You don't know women very well, do you?" Meryl lightly pounded her fist on Shannon's forehead, as if to scold him. "I swear, sometimes, even Zolo seems more charismatic than you."

"No way." Shannon muttered.

"Oh yeah, you know it's true! That Zolo can be so darn charming!" Meryl chuckled a little, playfully. She was now trying to look for a new roll of bandage in the first-aid kit. "But charm is deceptive. You just be you, Shannon, there's no need to change. I like you just the way you are."

A faint smile appeared on Shannon's face, but he got rid of it almost immediately.

"Meryl, would you like to join our alliance?" Shannon asked all of a sudden.

"Seriously?" Meryl began to laugh.

"Yes, I'm being very serious." Shannon raised his eyebrow, looking wary. "What's so funny?"

"Zolo already asked me the same question yesterday. Boy, you two need to be more in sync with each other!" Meryl laughed in amusement. "If we're going to be in an alliance with each other, we need to have better communication! We need to be on the same page!"

"He asked you? You guys talked to each other? Since when?" Shannon now looked a little bit flustered.

"I told you already. Zolo has more charisma than most people would give him credit for." Meryl flashed a big bright smile to the swordsman. "But anyway, the answer is yes. And thank you for asking. Twice."

_**Meryl:**__ Hearing it from Shannon somehow made this alliance a lot more real. It confirmed to me that I'm not being played by the guys, which was a primary concern of mine. But I'm in and it feels great. I'm actually in the alliance! You know, it has been such a long time since something good has happened to me in this game. I don't want to jinx it, but I'm going to say it anyway…things are finally looking up!_

- - -

When the two tribes arrived at the immunity challenge that day, the first thing Faye did was to make eye contact with Harley. She wanted to know if he had read her message and if he had understood it. There was no question in her mind that if Tsunade lost immunity today, she would be going home.

To her delight, Harley looked at her and smiled, then flashed her a mischievous little wink.

The plan was on!

While Faye could barely contain her excitement, Iruka retrieved the immunity idol from Tsunade. It was then the smile on her face began to fade away. Even though she had a friend assisting her from the other tribe, the plan was not foolproof and there was still a possibility that Jiraiya might win the challenge. She was competing against the almighty Guy after all. Faye must not let her guard down.

"For today's challenge, the two tribes will be competing in a game of dodgeball. Or shall I say…" Iruka paused as he let a cheesy grin cross his handsome face. "Dodge _shuriken_!"

Then, without warning, Iruka hurled a shuriken at Bulma's direction. The inventor shrieked in fright and tried leaping away, but it hit her in the knee anyway. She yelped in pain, thinking that the she had been struck by an_ actual_ shuriken.

"Wait a second." Holland picked up the shuriken on the ground and examined it. "This thing is made out of rubber. It's not real."

"Okay, that was just _mean_!" Bulma stuck her tongue out at Iruka, who was laughing apologetically. The other players also joined in the laughter, including Bulma herself, having realized that it was a harmless little joke all along.

"As I was saying, this challenge will follow the same rules as dodgeball, which means if you're hit with a shuriken in any part of your body, you're out of the challenge. So, try to avoid throwing these things at each other's faces, alright? They're not dangerous, but play nice anyway." Iruka smiled.

"Where exactly will this challenge take place?" Roy asked.

"In the forest of course! I and the camera crew will be the eyes of this forest, so don't even think of cheating. If you're hit by a shuriken, you're out and you'll have to exit the forest immediately." Iruka explained. "I'll be giving commentary through a megaphone, so you'll know who is still in the challenge and who is not."

The host then took out a small bag from his vest, and inside of which contained ten identical rubber shuriken.

"Lastly, each of you will be given one shuriken for this challenge. Each has a distinct number on it which you'll have to remember, because you cannot attack with anybody else's, even if they're from your own team or if they belong to someone already out of the challenge. The rules state that if you touch any other shuriken besides your own, you're out. So, don't try to lose yours." Iruka concluded. "Jiraiya, you have one extra member in your tribe. Who's sitting out?"

Bulma raised her arm.

"Okay, the rest of you will be given two minutes to hide in the forest and devise strategies for the challenge. I'll shout through my megaphone when the challenge will start. Good luck!"

- - -

"Survivors ready? Go!"

Holland Novak couldn't have asked for a better challenge – one that prioritized stealth and agility, both of which were traits he prided himself in. Caution was the key to success here. There could be an ambush in any direction, particularly from behind. One had to be extremely quiet, and subtle, and fast. One had to be offensive and defensive at the same time.

"And it begins…" Holland smiled to himself. He could see Meryl some distance away, walking alone, looking completely lost in the forest. "Target locked."

He tiptoed quietly in her direction, so he could close in the distance between him and his prey. He then positioned himself behind a nearby tree, and threw the shuriken directly at Meryl's back. It was a hit, as indicated by the quite loud curse word that Meryl uttered afterwards. She never even saw it coming.

A few seconds later, Iruka announced through the megaphone that the first casualty had been claimed.

Holland waited until Meryl left the area before he went to retrieve his shuriken. He stopped midway, however, when he realized this was the perfect set-up for a trap. For all he knew, somebody could be hiding up in a tree, or in those bushes over there, waiting for him to get close enough and take him out of the challenge. That was a risk Holland must take, for he had no choice to proceed in this challenge unless he retrieved his shuriken.

Cautiously, he approached his shuriken on the ground, whilst looking in all directions for any attackers. He seemed to have grabbed it without anybody noticing, but then–

_SWOOOOOOOOSH!_

Suddenly, a shuriken came flying out of the trees from nowhere. Holland managed to dodge it just in the nick of time, literally by throwing himself out of harm's way. Hiding in a nearby bush, Roy Mustang cursed his luck for missing his shot. That was a major weakness to missing one eye; he tended to lose a lot of accuracy in his throws.

Still, Roy thought he would be safe if he continued hiding, hoping that Holland may go away out of fright. But of course, Holland was an experienced man with an extensive military background, and he fully expected the ambush as well as the origin of the attack. It did not take long before Holland detected Roy in the bushes – and when he tried to make a run for it then, Holland was able to gun him down with his shuriken. Roy was also out of the challenge.

Having taken out two of his competitors, Holland was feeling pretty confident with himself until he sensed another shuriken flying his way, this time to his left. It was another ambush! Quick as he was, Holland was unable to dodge the shuriken in time. It struck him in his left hip.

"Damn it…" Holland grunted. He looked around, wanting to find out who his attacker was, but that person was perfectly hidden from sight. Giving up on his search, Holland left the forest soon afterwards.

But had he stayed around, he would have realized that he was taken out by Harley of all people, who was currently giggling to himself in a tree.

- - -

Elsewhere in the forest, another stealthy hunter was making her rounds in the forest, although Faye Valentine had not made any hits so far. She did have a close encounter with Guy a while ago, but she barely escaped from him after a failed ambush. Fortunately, she managed to retrieve her shuriken, so Faye was back in the challenge once more.

"Kari is our fourth casualty!" Iruka's voice declared in his megaphone.

Faye nodded to herself with a satisfied smile. Either Shannon or Zolo was doing his job right. Now that Kari was out of the competition, the two tribes were even in numbers again.

The bounty huntress wandered around for a while without meeting anyone from either tribe. It was such a vast forest and there were so many places to hide. This challenge could take forever, Faye thought, unless she started to hunt them down one by one.

However, she needn't look further in her search, because she saw someone walking right towards her: Mai Valentine. The blonde stood out in the forest with her outfit, looking like a bright red apple in a sea of green. _Never the subtle one_, thought Faye. The bounty huntress sneered and hid behind a tree, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. And Mai continued walking forward, unaware that she was walking right into her doom. By the time she found out there was an attacker nearby, it was too late. Faye emerged from her hiding spot and threw the rubber shuriken at the blonde, thus eliminating Mai on the spot.

As she went looking for her next prey, Faye did not expect that one Jiraiya member will deliver himself right into her hands. But of course, it was Harley, who ironically was more of a friend than an enemy in this challenge. Faye and Harley both grinned when they saw each other, because they knew what was about to happen next. To make it ever so obvious, Harley dropped his shuriken on the ground, while Faye approached him in a leisurely scroll, then she tagged him oh-so-lightly on the shoulder with her shuriken.

"I better see you at the merge, you sexy bitch." Harley whispered in Faye's ear before he departed from the challenge. "Good luck, best wishes, break a leg!"

"Thanks for helping me. You just saved my life." Faye smiled.

With Harley taken out of the competition, this meant it was just one remaining Jiraiya member up against three players in Tsunade. And at that moment, Might Guy knew just one wrong move could cost him the game.

- - -

Twenty minutes passed by since the challenge began. The cautious Shannon Casull was still in the challenge, chiefly by hiding in a discreet spot while he let the others do the dirty work. Now that there was only one person left in Jiraiya (and although it was the most dangerous one), Shannon decided it was time for him to join in the action. There was no point in hiding if Tsunade wasn't going to win. But so far, he marched through the forest with little luck. The Konoha ninja was stealthy as expected. It would take much more to lure him from wherever he was hiding.

As far as Guy was concerned, this was about to turn into a challenge of patience. And that was just perfectly fine with Shannon, who was not only patient, but he was also observant. If Guy was going to hide, then Shannon was going to track him down. It was basically like a game of hide-and-seek. Sooner or later, Guy will reveal himself and get caught. He couldn't hide forever.

Another twenty minutes or so passed by before Shannon made his first encounter in this challenge. He saw a shadowy figure moving in the bushes ahead of him. Shannon stealthily approached the figure, while making sure that he didn't give his own position away. He soon got close enough to this person until he realized–

"Don't attack! I'm…"

But it was too late. Shannon, on an uncontrollable impulse, launched the shuriken at the person anyway.

"…on your side." Faye sighed, rolling her eyes as she emerged from her hiding spot. Fortunately, she was agile enough to dodge the attack, thus avoiding the humiliating scenario where she was taken out by her own team member (little did she know that this actually happened with Holland and Harley earlier!).

Shannon looked just as disappointed at seeing Faye. She was not the person he was looking for, and vice versa. He was just about to retrieve his shuriken when, all of a sudden, he saw something flying directly at him. Reacting in the quickest possible way, Shannon dropped down on the ground and avoided being hit by the surprise attack. Unfortunately, Faye was not so lucky. The shuriken hit her in the forehead and she was now out of the challenge.

And then, Guy immediately came dashing out from the trees and grabbed his shuriken on the ground. He was moving so fast that Shannon had just seconds to react. It was futile, however, because the swordsman was currently unarmed, having not retrieved his weapon after the previous encounter with Faye. And that meant Shannon, who was left open for attack, was just as good as gone when Guy threw his shuriken. Shannon was also out of the challenge.

As Shannon and Faye left the forest, Guy went to pick up his shuriken from the ground. It landed quite some distance away, but he could still see it in a grassy area next to a large coniferous tree. What he _couldn't_ see was Zolo, who was sitting on one of the tree's branches. He had waited all this time for an opportunity to attack a defenceless Guy with his guard down, and this was the chance!

Guy detected Zolo's presence just a second later. Naturally, his gut instinct ordered him to run away as fast as he could. But by then, it was already over. Zolo hurled his shuriken at the escaping ninja, and with perfect accuracy, it made contact with Guy's back.

"Tsunade wins immunity!" Iruka's voice announced instantly through the megaphone. "The challenge is over!"

Yes, it was over. Everything was over at last. Nobody responded to the news more enthusiastically than Zolo, who was beaming – no, almost _bursting_ with joy. He was so glad that he defeated Jiraiya with his own hands, and not some cheap cop-out like last time when Jiraiya threw the challenge. In his excitement, Zolo glanced over at Guy, expecting a congratulatory comment or at least a graceful smile of good sportsmanship. Instead, the Konoha ninja appeared as miserable as ever, perhaps the most miserable anyone had seen him thus far. He couldn't even look up to speak or make eye contact with anyone.

Because Guy knew everything was over.

The challenge was over.

The rivalry was also over.

And his fate in this game was most certainly _over_.

- - -

After Jiraiya lost the immunity challenge, Guy gathered all his tribe members by the campfire, because he felt like he had an important announcement to make.

"I want to bring this in the open, because it's practically public information anyway." Guy said with a lopsided grin on his face. Surprisingly, he didn't look that angry or upset at all. In fact, the best word to describe his expression right now was _delight_. "I know I'm being voted out tonight."

"What a surprise." Harley muttered under his breath, sounding quite sarcastic.

"I'm not angry. No, I really am not. Well played, my friends! I applaud you getting rid of such a big threat before the merge! The Konoha gods will be proud!" Guy assured his tribe members by widening his toothy grin. "I just want to confirm that I _will_ be leaving tonight. I'm ready to go. I don't want you guys to vote for anyone else besides me. That is my last wish. I hope you will honour my request."

There was a long silence where nobody knew what to say. It was a very awkward moment (but of course, Guy _thrived_ on awkward moments!). Holland cleared his throat, feeling obliged to say something as the official leader of Jiraiya.

"I will vote you out." Holland said at last.

Even though it would have sounded inappropriate in any other context, Guy gave Holland an emotional embrace and thanked him for his generosity. Then, one by one, each member of Jiraiya vowed to vote for the Konoha ninja at tribal council. Kari struggled with this, for she really did not want to vote her friend out, but she had no choice but to mumble a reluctant 'me too' under these circumstances. Afterwards, it pained her to make eye contact with Guy, who actually _smiled_ at Kari as if he was so proud of her.

But surprisingly, there was another person besides Kari who had a problem with saying the vow. He said it anyway, even though he knew it meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. In fact, it could be broken in the snap of a finger if that was what he wanted.

Because all of a sudden, Harley was having second thoughts on voting Guy out.

_**Harley: **__I was really surprised when Guy told us to vote for him. No…no, I wasn't surprised. I was…suspicious. Either he's the biggest idiot in the world, or he has something up his sleeve. May be it's the hidden immunity idol. May be he has it and he's going to play it tonight. May be it's time to change plans for tonight._

He did not realize that Faye found the amulet at the Jiraiya camp days ago, nor did he know that she played it already in a tribal council. For all he knew, it was definitely possible Guy could have the hidden immunity idol. And if history was an indicator of things, it was also very possible that Guy would cast his vote against Harley tonight.

_**Harley:**__ I'm starting to think it's a better idea if we vote out Kari tonight. I know Holland will never agree to it, but I don't need his approval to make this happen. Guy and Kari will vote together, Holland will vote for Guy, which means Bulma, Mai and I will control the votes tonight. If the three of us vote for Kari, we're actually able to send her home! I'd be the happiest man in the world if that happens!_

A while later, the paranoid Pokemon Coordinator pulled Mai aside for her opinion on the matter.

"Mai, I'm scared. What if he does have the hidden immunity idol? He's like the king of these Konoha forests. He probably found that idol on the first day!" Harley exclaimed.

"He_ might_ have it, I don't know. But to be honest, it's kind of reckless if we vote for Kari in the last minute." Mai said, in an attempt to calm Harley down. "Holland won't be happy if he finds out. He might think we backstabbed him."

"Ugh. I wish I could pull an _Asuka_ and rummage through his bags just to make sure." Harley joked.

"We also need to trust Bulma to make this happen." Mai added.

"You don't trust her?" Harley asked, sounding a little shocked.

"Honey, I wouldn't trust that woman to give me the time of the day! In other words, I think she talks out of her ass most of the time." Mai chuckled to herself. "You're overthinking this, Harley. I don't think Guy has the idol. He doesn't look like the type, call it a hunch. Let's just stick with the original plan."

"Right. Let's just vote him out and see what happens, even though I might get voted off." Harley sighed, but he was not entirely convinced. "You know what? I'm going to talk to Bulma and see what she thinks about this…"

Contrary to what Harley may think, Guy had no actual earth breaking ulterior motive behind his little speech. He was certainly not playing mind games with his tribe members, nor was he trying to shift the vote to somebody else. In short, he was just simply surrendering to his enemies. The only reason why Guy made such a big commotion was because he wanted to make sure _Kari_ would be safe. He remembered from the conversation yesterday that her name was brought up to the fray a few times, so there was a possibility that she might go home instead. By volunteering to leave, Guy was, in a sense, falling on his sword to rescue Kari.

It was quite ironic if he realized that his selfless gesture had the exact opposite effect!

Nevertheless, Guy was positive that he would be voted out, so he decided to say his farewells to his friend Kari. It was quite an emotional scene, for this was the last time they would see each other in the game.

"I'm really sorry, Guy. I couldn't do anything to save you…" Kari muttered sadly.

"We have to stay positive! No tears, no tears!" Guy shouted, even though he was getting a bit teary himself. "Don't think of this as a farewell! Think of it as a new beginning!"

"I don't want to vote against you. I don't want to do it." Kari shook her head.

"Kari, it's okay. I want you to vote for me tonight. Don't isolate yourself any longer. This is your chance to prove to Jiraiya that you can be trusted!" Guy smiled, patting Kari on the head a few times. "I think it's your best bet if you stay with Jiraiya after the merge. At least for a few more tribal councils."

"You want me to stick with them?" Kari made a face.

"Yes, Kari. But…" Guy had a mysterious smile on his face. "When an opportunity comes along, I want you to grab it. Grab the opportunity, run with it, and never look back."

"Oh Guy, I wish you weren't going home…" Kari sighed.

"The funny thing is…I'm not really going home." Guy grinned toothily. "If you think about it, I've been at home all along! Sweet home Konoha!"

Kari laughed at the corny little joke, and Guy soon joined in as well. Even as they laughed, they could sense that their laughter was full of melancholy and sadness. But they continued to laugh anyway, because it was the only way they can conceal the painful yet undeniable truth.

Afterwards, the two friends gave each other an affectionate and platonic hug – the last hug they will ever have.

Then, they were off to tribal council.

Where one of them was definitely going home.

- - -

Once again, tribal council became a very tight-lipped affair for the Jiraiya tribe. Not that they had plenty of secrets they could not divulge, but it was because there was nothing to talk about. Guy was going home tonight and everyone was certain this would happen. Or were they? As Harley sat listening to Iruka ask questions to various players, the Pokemon Coordinator couldn't help but wonder if he should vote out Kari instead. What if Guy did have the hidden immunity idol? What consequences will Guy's vote carry if he voted against Harley?

"Harley," said Iruka, directing his next question to the nervous Pokemon Coordinator. "You narrowly escaped the axe at the last tribal council. So, how confident are you in staying tonight?"

"I'm feeling fantastic!" Harley lied, maintaining his false bravado. He did not want to let the other players see him sweat. "Three people voted for me last time, and after tonight, two of them will be gone."

"Is it a done deal then? It seems to me that it will be a unanimous vote against one person." Iruka rubbed his chin. He turned towards the Konoha ninja. "Let's just be honest here. Is it going to be you, Guy?"

"Not unless I have the hidden immunity idol!" Guy laughed.

"Do you?" Harley asked, sharply turning his head towards the ninja.

Guy shrugged his shoulders.

"Why don't we talk about the merge? It's coming up very soon. Mai, you're in an interesting position, assuming that you don't get voted out tonight. What will you do at the merge?" Iruka asked.

"I plan to stay on the Jiraiya boat all the way," replied Mai.

"Hmm. No hesitation." Iruka remarked.

"I know where my loyalty lies." Mai smiled. She glanced over at Holland, who was nodding his head in approval. That was exactly the answer he was looking for.

"Holland, I see you nodding your head like you're pleased." Iruka pointed out. "I'm assuming that you're confident in staying tonight. But how confident are you at the merge? Do you think you'll have a big target on your back?"

"Being the leader does put a target on my back, but I got a strong team rooting behind me, so I think I'll be alright." Holland nodded his head again with confidence. "This is a numbers game. If Jiraiya sticks together after the merge, we can easily dominate this game. We can pick off our enemies one after another. It can't get any easier than that."

"Starting with…?" Iruka prodded.

"I'm not sure yet, but it will be one of the men." Holland smiled thinly.

"That seems like a good note to end the questions on. Well, there's no point in stalling the inevitable any longer. It's time for the vote." Iruka clapped his hands together. "Harley, you're up first."

The Pokemon Coordinator hesitated before getting up. He first glanced at Bulma, then at Mai. At this very moment, if he wanted, if he changed his mind in the last second, he could give them a signal and have the three of them cast their votes for Kari instead. He could pull the wool over Holland's eyes and steal the game right under his nose. Just the look on his face would be worth all the risk.

Soon, Harley stood from his seat.

His mind was finally made up.

One by one, each member got up to vote. First Harley, then Holland, followed by the rest of the tribe. Six votes were written down and quickly tallied by Iruka. He returned with the voting urn in his hands and placed it on a wooden pedestal. In a matter of minutes, _Survivor: Konoha_ will claim its sixth victim.

"Once the votes are read, the person voted off will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately." Iruka declared before he read out the votes, just like he did in every other tribal council. "I'll now read the votes."

He reached in the urn and pulled out the first parchment.

"Harley."

It came as no surprise to anybody that Guy cast his vote against Harley, for the second time in this game. But the Pokemon Coordinator needn't fret about seeing his name, because that was the only vote against him tonight.

"Guy."

"Guy."

"Guy."

"The sixth person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_…" Iruka did not even stop for his usual dramatic pause in between these words. He just flipped over the parchment and declared the name. "Guy."

For a brief moment, Harley worried that his worst fears may come true and Guy would pull out a hidden immunity idol. But of course, it never happened. The Konoha ninja smiled cheerfully as he stood up, gave Kari a pat on the shoulder, and then walked over to Iruka with his torch.

"The tribe has spoken." Iruka said solemnly while snuffing out the flame. "It's time for you to go."

Guy took a deep breath before departing on the walk of shame.

And the challenge machine of Jiraiya was gone forever.

Just like that.

What happened tonight was more than obvious. Guy got voted off unanimously, which was something everyone in the tribe anticipated. But it was more important, and more revealing, to see what _didn't_ happen in tonight's tribal council. Kari didn't vote with Guy, even though he was supposed to be her best and only friend. Harley didn't vote out Kari, even though he had the perfect opportunity to vote out his archenemy since the beginning of the game. And that meant Holland didn't get betrayed, even though some of his allies were more than ready to defy his orders.

What didn't happen tonight was the collapse of Jiraiya. They didn't like each other. They didn't care for each other. And they would betray each other in a heartbeat. But the backstabbing did not happen tonight, thus the facade of Jiraiya being a dominant and coordinated tribe was sustained for another day.

Fragile as they were, this group of five remained a united tribe.

For now.

- - -

_**Guy**__**'s Final Words**_

No! The springtime of youth has escaped me! I have failed my beloved gods of Konoha! Words cannot describe the torment and anguish throbbing all over my body! I am not proud, but I am glad that little Kari will continue to fight in my place. She will proceed further in this game than I possibly can. In all truthfulness, I have lost most of my great Konoha spirit when I failed to keep my promise to Asuka. I have not been the same man ever since. Perhaps it is for the best that I leave now and go down a noble path. Perhaps my impure conscience will finally be cleansed.

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**A blossoming relationship draws suspicion****…**  
_Meryl__: They're making me really uncomfortable._  
Zolo: Someone needs to give him a talk.  
(Faye is seen blowing an air kiss to Roy.)

**Old friends are reunited at the merge****…**  
_Harley: You're back! Finally!_  
(Harley laughs and gives Faye a big hug.)  
_Faye__: It's like I never left._

**And**** Mai finds herself caught in the middle…**  
_Meryl: You belong with __Tsunade._  
_Mai: I don't know._  
(In a confessional, Mai laughs nervously to the camera.)  
_Mai__: I'm going to have a lot of people angry at me._

_**All this and more on – Episode 7: Grass Is Always Greener**_

- - -

**Author's Notes:** Sorry for the long delay in updates. I'm working on this at a biweekly schedule instead of a weekly one. Feel free to use the alert feature that this site offers, as some of you have done already! As always, feel free to review and don't forget to take the survey in my website!


	7. Episode 7: Grass Is Always Greener

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Meryl confirmed her allegiance to Shannon and Zolo, while Roy and Faye's relationship escalated to another level. Fearing that she was on the chopping block, Faye hinted to Harley that Jiraiya needed to throw the immunity challenge to rescue her. Meanwhile, Bulma fooled her tribe members into thinking she was loyal to them, while pinning the targets on Guy and Kari. Holland was determined to send Guy home because of his recent mutiny, although Harley wanted to vote out his archenemy, Kari, instead. When Jiraiya lost immunity, Guy was sent home in a unanimous vote._

_Ten castaways remain. Who will be voted off next?_

**Episode Seven: Grass Is Always Greener**

Jiraiya Tribe** : Bulma**_ (Dragonball Z)_,** Harley**_ (Pokemon)_, **Holland**_ (Eureka Seven)_, **Kari **_(Digimon), _**Mai **_(Yu-gi-oh)_

Tsunade Tribe**: Faye **_(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Meryl **_(Trigun)_, **Roy **_(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon **_(Scrapped Princess)_, **Zolo **_(One Piece)_

- - -

**DAY 19**

Roy Mustang just did not want to be a casualty of the merge.

To come this far in the game and get voted off before its climax was, quite frankly, an insult to Roy. He had no desire to leave yet, at least not before some weaker and much less deserving people anyway. But as one of the few intelligent, athletic, and sociable players left, he had every reason to worry about the inevitable target on his back. Roy knew enough about Survivor to understand that men like him were most often the unfortunate victims of a merge. All those reasons that made him the perfect tribe member in Tsunade were suddenly the same reasons that made him the perfect target in Jiraiya.

"Boy, do you look awful today!" Faye sat down next to Roy in the shelter, putting her elbow on his shoulder in a very friendly manner. "What's the matter? Something on your mind? I hope it's not about me."

"I'm always thinking about you." Roy joked, humouring the bounty huntress.

"I know. You can't resist a good slice of ass like me!" Faye gestured her thumbs at herself with a big exaggerated grin on her face. And then, she laughed for a while, because even Faye could laugh about herself as much as she could laugh at other people.

Faye cast a sideway glance at her companion, realizing that Roy was not laughing at all. Instantly, she knew something was wrong. She can tell he was paranoid, even though he was trying his best to conceal it. The usual Roy conducted himself with perfect finesse, never revealing a weakness or a vulnerability to anyone. He always seemed so calm and composed, like he was a few steps ahead looking back at everyone else. But for once, Roy had fallen behind and was hurled out of his comfort zone, where there was a high possibility of him being voted out.

Right away, she detected his anxiety about the upcoming merge. And right away, she was here to make everything worse. A more compassionate person might have comforted Roy and encouraged him to stay optimistic against the odds. Faye, on the other hand, left the exact opposite effect. As a self-proclaimed expert in mind games, the cynical bounty huntress was ready to instil even more doubts and uncertainties to his already befuddled brain.

"No seriously, what're you thinking about?" Faye asked with an enigmatic smile on her face. "You can tell me. You can trust me with your secrets."

Roy didn't laugh at Faye before, but he sure laughed now, no matter how inappropriate it might be. He couldn't control himself. He never thought he'd hear Faye and the word 'trust' to be used in the same sentence, and in a serious context too.

"Ha ha. Very funny." Faye said, watching him carefully. "Look, I know what you're worried about, and you've a very good reason to worry."

"What're you implying?" Roy's smile faded away.

"If I was in your shoes, I'd do _anything_ to stay in the game." Faye lowered her voice into a soft, sultry whisper. "You aren't the only target in Tsunade, you know. Are you catching my drift?"

Roy knew perfectly well what her intentions were. She was trying to seduce him to a darker side of the game, though he was no particular stranger to playing dirty. Faye was also poisoning his mind with corruptive thoughts, yet he couldn't help but listen to her anyway. He felt just as Adam did when he saw Eve with the forbidden fruit in her hands. She was too tempting.

_**Roy:**__ In every good story, there're the heroes and the villains, but my favourite character has always been the femme fatale. She's the mysterious and attractive woman with a great seductive charm. She knows what she wants and she knows exactly how to get it. I read about them in books, I watch about them in movies, but I never thought I'd meet a femme fatale in person._

A wicked smile appeared on the colonel's face.

_**Roy:**__ But Faye Valentine met all my expectations and exceeded them. She's a dangerous woman, yet also a capable player. I'm glad I have her as my trump card in the worst case scenario. Of course, if my whole strategy relied on an untrustworthy woman like her, I better watch my back…_

"Okay, so no one will go after Meryl because she's useless." Faye continued. She couldn't resist making a dig at the insurance agent even though she wasn't here. "But Shannon and Zolo are just as strong as you, if not stronger. They're pretty up there on the threat list too."

"You know I can't. I can't turn against Tsunade like that." Roy sighed.

"Why not? It's either you or them." Faye shrugged her shoulders.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. The merge isn't even here yet." Roy said, slowly and cautiously. He did not want to reveal too much information in front of a player he didn't fully trust. "We don't know what's going to happen. You speak as if Tsunade already lost the war."

"I _am_ jaded." Faye joked playfully. "Or optimistic, depending on whose perspective you're talking about."

"You're in a good mood today." Roy narrowed his eyes at the bounty huntress. He noticed the stark change in her behaviour recently. For one thing, Faye seemed far too chipper and light-hearted than usual. "You've been smiling like you already won a million bucks."

"Wouldn't you be smiling too when it's finally the day you're free from your imprisonment?" Faye grinned.

"You make it sound like we torture you here," said Roy.

"Waking up next to Zolo's face every morning, I'm sure, is a form of torture in at least two or three galaxies," said Faye.

What she said was a very mean-spirited remark, but Roy snickered like an immature little schoolboy anyway. Faye just had that dark gritty edge to her that he found so appealing. She definitely wasn't the nicest girl around the block, but she was sarcastic and perceptive, not to mention she was drop-dead gorgeous. What else was Roy looking for in his ideal woman? How could he _not_ like her?

"You know, all my problems will go away if only you decide to stay with Tsunade after the merge." Roy flashed an ironic smile at her. "But I'm assuming that won't happen."

"Don't even try. I'm as good as gone," said Faye.

"You should keep your options open, you know. The game isn't over yet." Roy raised an eyebrow.

"That's very cute of you, Roy Mustang." Faye tapped her index finger on his nose a few times. "But I think you should start worrying about yourself before you worry about me. I'm not the one who's in deep shit right now. Not anymore."

"And to think a day ago, you were still at my mercy." Roy muttered.

"Things aren't the way they used to be." Faye winked and blew him a flirty air kiss. "You better get with the program, Mustang!"

_**Roy: **__Faye is acting kind of cocky today, but I suppose she earned the right to do so. She's a survivor in her own special way, making it past three tribal councils when she's in the obvious minority. Now, she doesn't need to worry anymore because she's not leaving any time soon. But for the rest of us, especially the men…we're not so lucky._

He clenched his right fist and held it close to his mouth. It was almost like he was trying to prevent himself from speaking in the fear that his words might come true.

_**Roy:**__ If Jiraiya gains the upper hand at the merge, one of the men from Tsunade is definitely going home. And it better not be me._

- - -

One of Kari's activities around camp was to retrieve treemail every morning. Nobody ever appointed her to the job, but she did it for so long that it had evolved into a daily habit for her. On some occasions, she was accompanied by a few of her tribe members. Today, it was Mai who tagged along on the treemail trip for the first time.

"Where's Harley?" Kari asked the obvious question.

"He's still sleeping." Mai replied with a quick mischievous grin, "Just between you and me, girl, I never knew Harley was so _clingy_! I hardly get any time by myself, because he's always following me everywhere. It gets kind of annoying after a while."

Kari tucked this interesting bit of info in the back of her head, hoping she can use it to her advantage at a later time. But for now, she did nothing more than smile and nod her head at the blonde. She still didn't fully trust Mai Valentine, for there was a possibility Mai was "testing" Kari on her loyalty. So, the cautious DigiDestined decided to keep quiet and let Mai do the talking. The less Kari talked, the fewer mistakes she would make.

"So Kari, how are you?" Mai asked.

"Huh?" Kari turned to the blonde, unsure that she heard the question right.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but the last two tribal councils must have been hard on you." Mai pulled her long wavy blonde hair back behind her shoulders. "Holland must be shoving Jiraiya loyalty down your throat for the past few days. He's so worried about you switching to the other tribe."

Kari stared at Mai with a quizzical look, still not sure what she should say.

"Don't worry, I'm not wired! This conversation is strictly confidential." Mai laughed. She had seemingly read what was on Kari's mind at the moment. The DigiDestined looked visibly more relaxed afterwards. "I just need somebody to vent to and you're the best choice. I mean, you aren't the _only_ person Holland is worried about at the merge."

"He thinks you have loyalties to your old tribe?" Kari asked out of curiosity.

"He's practically trying to brainwash me into turning against Tsunade. I mean, I like the guy and all, but he…he can be a very intense player sometimes." Mai gave an abrupt laugh before continuing. "I guess that's what makes him such a good leader. If you don't go with him, he'll go full force against you."

"Mai, why do you trust me? I…I'm not saying that I'll snitch on you or anything, but you barely know anything about me." Kari muttered in a meek voice. "How do you know that I'm not some secret double agent playing for Holland?"

"I read people well. You don't look like the type." Mai chuckled.

"The type?" Kari repeated uncertainly.

"You don't look like the type who'll backstab people. In fact, I don't think you're the one who cast that vote against Harley at all. Bulma talked out of her ass like always, while you stayed true to Holland this whole time. I can tell. Call it a vibe." Mai said, without actually knowing how close to the truth she was. The blonde put her hands on her hips and grinned at Kari. "Well, am I right?"

Kari smiled innocently at the blonde, but said nothing.

_**Mai: **__I admit that I'm a bit of a rebel at heart. The more Holland tries to make me stay loyal to Jiraiya, the more I want to defy his orders. But at the same time, I know that it's not a very wise move, considering I made a lot of allies on this tribe. If I betray them, I'm going to have a lot of people angry at me on the jury. And that's not cool. Not cool at all._

She laughed nervously at the camera.

_**Mai:**__ I can't tell Harley anything about this, because he'll report me to Holland right away. Bulma is out of the question for sure; she's the sneakiest one in this tribe. But Kari…I've taken a liking to that girl for some reason. Sometimes, I think I can trust Kari more anyone else in Jiraiya. Just because Harley doesn't like her, it doesn't mean I have to feel the same way. No, Kari is pretty cool. She's alright with me._

"Mai, what is Tsunade like?" Kari asked all of a sudden.

"Why are you interested? You aren't thinking about crossing over, are you?" Mai teased.

"I'm just curious." Kari shrugged her shoulders.

"As a group, they're frustratingly stubborn people. As individuals, they're just plain frustrating." Mai laughed at her own little joke. "They're less strategic than Jiraiya, but I guess that makes them a bit more sincere as well. It's hard to describe them in words. You'll meet them soon enough."

Mai smiled when she arrived at the mailbox and took out a scroll of parchment. All along, her real motive of accompanying Kari was to get her grubby little hands on this treemail. Mai wanted to be the first person in Jiraiya to find out what was going on with the prospective merge.

"Each tribe should send one representative to meet with Iruka. These two ambassadors will meet with each other and discuss about the upcoming merge. Food, drinks, and an overnight stay in a cozy bed will be provided." Mai read out loud. The treemail only contained these three sentences, but they were enough to bring a bright smile to the blonde's face. She never knew how much she anticipated the merge until now.

"This is pretty exciting! I like the food part the most." Kari giggled.

"I'm going." Mai said abruptly as she rolled up the parchment. Kari gave her a strange look, which the blonde tried to evade. "I'll be honest, Kari. This is the reason why I wanted to come with you today. I'm looking for the chance to talk with someone from Tsunade again. I want to find out why Orihime got voted off."

"Shouldn't we discuss this with Holland and the group first?" Kari asked, scratching her head.

"If they find out, they'll never let me go." Mai said, sternly.

"Holland won't be pleased about your decision." Kari muttered. And it was true, both Mai and Kari knew the Jiraiya leader would be very upset if such an important decision was made without his input.

"That silly man can blow a gasket for all I care. I'm still going regardless. He's not the boss of me." Mai flashed a defiant grin at the petite DigiDestined, and Kari returned the smile even though she was still confused about the whole ordeal. "Tell the tribe that I said goodbye. Sorry that I can't be there to bid farewell to them."

"I suppose." Kari mumbled.

"And you, Kari. You don't do anything crazy while I'm gone." Mai placed both her hands on Kari's shoulders. "Because if you do, I want to be right there beside you!"

"See you in a bit, Mai." Kari laughed.

"Goodbye, Jiraiya!" Mai exclaimed, turning her head in no particular direction. This could be the last time she'd ever see this campsite again. After one last lingering look, Mai took a deep breath and departed on her journey. Off she went to meet the Tsunade ambassador, whoever he or she was.

Kari stood still for a while or so, until Mai was no longer in sight. Then, the petite girl turned around and made her way back to the Jiraiya camp, one slow step at a time. She was in no hurry to head back, because she wasn't looking forward to Holland's reaction once he found out what Mai did. One of his worst fears was to have Mai mingle with her former tribe members in private. And when he discovers what just happened, Holland will definitely be one unhappy camper!

_**Kari: **__Mai seems like she hasn't made up her mind on which tribe she'll stick with at the merge, but I know where my place is in the new tribe. These past few days, I put myself in unnecessary risk and ended up with a big target on my back. I think it's best if I went back to my original strategy and stay under the radar for a while. No more conflicts. No more drama. From now on, I'm just going to observe quietly in the background. And wait._

She spoke in a very quiet, very subdued voice. But even so, the impact of her words resonated loudly and clearly to the cameras.

_**Kari:**__ And once nobody is looking my way, that's when I'll make my move._

- - -

The decision making process was more democratic in Tsunade, where everybody drew sticks to determine who the ambassador was. They all wanted to take part in this overnight trip, since the prospect of food and sleeping arrangements sounded very desirable. In the end, it was lucky Meryl who won the random draw. So, she packed her bags, said her farewells, and off she went as the Tsunade ambassador. However, some of her tribe members were worried that she might reveal too much harmful information to the opposing tribe, although the petite insurance agent assured them she had more self-control than they thought.

"If they send Holland, make sure you don't tell them about our alliance. Don't tell him anything. Let him do all the talking." Zolo advised Meryl right before her departure. As much as he wanted to trust this woman, he didn't have much faith in that big mouth of hers. She had a tendency to speak her mind at the most inopportune moments.

"I won't, I won't. Don't worry, you guys. I won't tell them a single secret about us." Meryl chuckled.

"Ask about what happened in their last two tribal councils. Find out who the outsiders are in their tribe." Shannon said, offering his own advice. "Try to get as much information about their group dynamics as possible."

"I know what I'm doing! Gosh, you guys sure like to nag a lot!" Meryl joked.

"We're just worried about you." Shannon said stiffly.

"Don't get yourself into trouble." Zolo added.

With a frustrated smile on her face, Meryl nodded her head at the two swordsmen. They didn't look like the types to get sentimental and wordy, but she knew her allies had the right intentions in their hearts. May be they didn't know how to express in words that they_ cared_ about her. She supposed this was their clumsy way of bidding farewell to her, while still retaining a shred of their egos and masculinity.

"I guess I'll see you guys later then," said Meryl.

After a less than enthusiastic farewell between the three of them, Meryl began walking away with her bags and belongings in hand. However, she only made a few steps until she stopped and turned around again.

"Wait, I don't know when I'll have a chance to speak to you guys in private again, so I want to get this off my chest. You guys have a right to know this." Meryl took a deep breath. "Keep a close eye on Roy."

"What's wrong with him?" Zolo made a strange face.

"He was the one who betrayed the guys' alliance. I only gave my hidden immunity idol to Mai because Roy warned her about the vote beforehand." Meryl explained, "He's not as trustworthy as he looks."

Zolo exchanged a knowing glance with Shannon, as if they were telling each other 'I-told-you-so' with their eyes.

"Our worst suspicions are confirmed." Shannon muttered.

"You guys knew about this?" Meryl widened her eyes in surprise.

"Mustang is a bastard. Old news." Zolo rolled his eyes, looking somewhat dispassionate about the whole affair. "We figured it out a long time ago. It was obvious that he ratted on us somehow."

"But we can't confront him about it. We still need Roy on our side." Shannon shrugged his shoulders as if it was a lost cause.

"Damn numbers game." Zolo grumbled.

"Keep a close eye on him anyway!" Meryl sighed. She understood what they meant, because there was indeed little they can do about Roy. "You know what they say, old habits never die. He might have other plans at the merge."

_**Shannon:**__ Apparently, Roy orchestrated Kurz's departure from start to finish, but I'm not too surprised. I always had a lingering suspicion that he was behind the whole plan. Roy is a very shady person and backstabbing his own allies is something I wouldn't put beneath him. _

As always, the tall and quiet swordsman sounded very serious when he was speaking.

_**Shannon:**__ I can't say I respect him a whole lot, but there's little I can do at this point. We certainly can't kick him out of the alliance, not when we barely have the numbers on our side. And that's quite unfortunate because in my opinion, weasels like Roy don't deserve to win Survivor, let alone go very far in this game._

"Don't worry about Mustang. He ain't going anywhere." Zolo said in a reassuring voice, "If he even thinks about switching, I'll kick his scrawny ass to the curb. Nobody screws with Tsunade."

"But we're trying to keep him _in_ the alliance! That's the whole point!" Meryl exclaimed.

"Oh right. My bad." Zolo flashed a lopsided grin at Meryl, causing her to laugh. "In any case, I've no intention of watching our alliance fall apart. I'll fight a thousand wars to keep Tsunade alive."

"And I'll fight a thousand and one wars." Shannon grunted as he imitated Zolo's voice.

"I'll fight a thousand and two!" Meryl added.

"Are you bastards one-upping me!? Here I am giving an inspirational speech and you're mocking me! Unbelievable!" Zolo pretended to gasp dramatically. "The nerve of you guys!"

Despite his words, Zolo was the first to break into a huge cheeky grin. Meryl soon followed, and even the normally expressionless Shannon cracked a tiny smile. It was a small, subtle moment shared between the three of them. It was also at this moment that Zolo decided he'll stay loyal to his alliance forever, no matter what might happen at the merge. He will do anything and everything to keep them intact.

As long as he remained in the game, Zolo was determined that Tsunade will never die. Because he just loved this tribe too damn much.

- - -

After voicing her concerns about a certain colonel, Meryl finally departed on her ambassadors' meeting. All along, she thought she'd keep her mouth shut and not leak any information to the Jiraiya representative. What she had not anticipated was that Mai Valentine, of all people, would show up to this meeting. It came as a total shock to Meryl, who never expected the blonde to survive yet another Jiraiya tribal council. But here Mai stood in front of her, ready to reunite with a former ally and a definite friend.

"Oh my goodness! Mai Valentine!" Meryl exclaimed, letting out an uncharacteristic girlish squeal.

"You're the person I wanted to see the most!" Mai laughed, sounding equally excited.

"I guess you two need no introductions with each other," said Iruka, whom the two women had neglected during their reunion. He smiled as he handed a yellow buff to each of them. "From now on, you're no longer part of the Jiraiya and Tsunade tribes. Mai and Meryl, you're the two newest members of the merged tribe!"

"Alright, screw those other losers! We're already the Final Two!" Mai joked, exchanging an enthusiastic high-five with Meryl.

"You'll have the rest of the day to acquaint with each other. During this time, I also ask you to think of an appropriate tribe name and decide on what campsite to live in. As stated, meals and drinks will be served when the time comes. And last but not least, your sleeping arrangements…" Iruka paused to gesture his hand at the king-sized bed on his left, which was equipped with pillows, a mattress, and a warm cozy blanket. "That's where you will be sleeping tonight."

"I'm so happy that I got picked!" Meryl clasped her hands over her heart.

"I see you two have a lot to catch up, so I'll leave you ladies alone. Enjoy your stay here." Iruka smiled congenially at the two women.

"Don't leave yet! Wouldn't you like to share a bed with us!?" Mai called out, making the bashful host blush a deep shade of red. Meryl laughed in the background as Iruka mumbled a quick but polite excuse before scurrying away.

"Look what you've done! You scared the nice man away!" Meryl grinned.

"What?" Mai flashed a playful wink. "He's kind of cute, isn't he?"

"Ah Mai, I miss you so much!" Meryl laughed.

_**Meryl:**__ My alliance with Mai and Orihime – we called ourselves the Vixens – was temporarily disbanded for a while, but I'm pretty sure Mai and I will team up once again. I'm really glad to meet up with her, not just because I enjoy her company, but Tsunade needs all the numbers they can get right now. If Mai votes with us, then at least we can force a tie in tribal council. So, there's still hope for us in this game!_

She pumped her fist up and shook it in the air.

_**Meryl:**__ Don't count Tsunade out yet! We're still fighting!_

The two women quickly settled onto the bed, deciding that it was the most comfortable place to have a long and cozy conversation. Although they were only apart for a week, Mai and Meryl updated each other on every bit of information they could think of. The first thing Mai wanted to know, of course, was how Orihime got voted out. So, Meryl gave her version of the story, which depicted Faye as the evil intruder who pulled out the hidden immunity idol and sent poor Orihime home.

"She found the hidden immunity idol? Damn!" Mai sounded impressed and annoyed at the same time. "I can't believe Orihime left because of that. I have a feeling I won't like this Faye character very much."

"Trust me, none of us do. She's a total snake." Meryl frowned.

"So much has happened since I was gone. It's incredible." Mai shook her head and sighed.

"But I guess that simplifies things a whole lot, doesn't it?" Meryl flashed a weak smile at the blonde beside her. "When you reunite with Tsunade again, we can avenge Orihime by voting Faye out!"

"As I said before, a lot of things happened since I was gone. I have to make some…friendships in Jiraiya in order to save myself." Mai said quietly.

Right away, Meryl could notice the sudden shift in Mai's demeanour. No longer did she sound or appear like the same confident woman just a minute ago. The blonde acted like she was trying to hide something, and Meryl was determined to find out what.

"Yeah…yeah, I understand." Meryl nodded her head, trying to sound empathetic. "But those friendships are temporary, right? Your real loyalty lies with us, aren't they?"

"Meryl, you can't ask me to just betray everyone in Jiraiya like that. They'll hate me for the rest of the game." Mai spoke in a calm and rational manner, but it was evident that she was starting to lose her temper. "None of them will vote for me in the end if I betrayed them now."

"What're you trying to say?" Meryl asked, frustrated.

"What I'm trying to say is…I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do." Mai threw her hands up in the air. "I don't think it's very wise for me to throw my entire game away for a tribe where most of the guys hate me anyway."

"They don't hate you! I…I can't believe this!" Meryl closed her eyes and winced. "Mai, you belong with Tsunade."

Meryl had always imagined that Mai, like Faye, would flip back to her original tribe in the first possible opportunity. But this Mai who sat beside her was not the same woman she knew before. And she certainly did not seem like she had any intentions to help Tsunade again.

"I don't know. I really don't know." Mai repeated again, sounding a bit more helpless this time. She took a deep breath and looked at Meryl directly in the eye. "Instead of asking me to join your alliance, I was planning to ask you to join mine. Holland is a pretty good leader, and everyone else is friendly enough, if a bit fake at times…"

"I can't. I can't ditch the guys." Meryl gave an immediate reply.

"Hmm. I didn't you grew so close with them." Mai narrowed her eyes at the petite insurance agent. "But ditch them anyway. If you don't ditch them, they'll be the ones to ditch you. It's a dog-eat-dog game out there. Trust me, Meryl, they're not worth it."

"Don't talk about them like that! Shannon and Zolo would never betray Tsunade!" Meryl spat angrily. She shot a fierce glare at the blonde. "And I won't either. I'm not a traitor."

"You changed a lot, Meryl. I feel like I don't know you anymore," muttered Mai.

Meryl bit her lips, preventing herself from making this scene any uglier than it already was. The pleasant atmosphere at the beginning was destroyed to a point where it could never be recovered again. The two women sat on the bed, not talking to one another for what seemed like an eternity. Mai eventually dozed off, while Meryl managed to stay awake, fuelled by her rage and disappointment. She felt so let down by her former ally – her former _friend_.

Hours later, once dinner arrived, Mai finally woke up from her slumber. Meryl was still seated beside her, gazing at nothing in particular. She looked like she was even more upset than before, but that could not be helped. The two women exchanged icy glares with each other, unsure of how to interact. Finally, it was Mai who broke the ice and spoke the first word.

"I just want to enjoy the day, enjoy the meal, and enjoy the rest of my stay here." Mai smiled weakly at the petite woman beside her. "Let's pretend our conversation never happened. Let's…let's not talk about the game for the rest of the night, okay?"

"But Mai, how can you betray your original tribe like this!?" Meryl exclaimed.

"Meryl…I don't want to talk about it anymore." Mai sustained the faint smile on her face. She had forgotten how stubborn and outspoken Meryl can be sometimes.

"Fine." Meryl mumbled, averting her gaze elsewhere. "If that is what you want."

"You know, it's really nice to see you again, Meryl. I missed you." Mai murmured in a feeble voice. She was still looking at her companion, but Meryl would not look her way.

"Yeah, me too…"

The two women ate dinner, talked casually for a while, and then drifted off to sleep. Not another word of strategy was uttered to each other during the remainder of their stay.

- - -

**DAY 20**

It was time for the merge.

Earlier today, both tribes received treemail that informed them to meet up with Iruka for a very special occasion. Although it didn't literally say they were merging, that was what everybody assumed anyway. The instructions also told the castaways to bring all their personal belongings, camp supplies, and tribal rewards. So, they had a few hours in the morning to pack and reminiscence before embarking on a whole new adventure.

"This is going to be a _long_ hike." Roy put his hands on his hips and looked down at the pile of supplies he had packed so far. Among the numerous items were the rice containers, a water pot, and several articles of clothing. "I didn't think it was possible to compile so much crap being in the middle of nowhere."

"We don't know if we're coming back or not. It's important we don't leave anything behind," said Shannon.

"Should we bring Shannon and Zolo?" Faye asked all of a sudden. All three men gave her puzzled looks, to which she rolled her eyes at. How could they not _understand_? "I was talking about our chickens."

"Yeah, bring them both. They'd make a good meal or two," said Shannon.

The swordsman nodded his head at the nearby bamboo cage, which still contained two of the three chickens Tsunade won in a previous reward challenge. The other chicken, better known as "Roy", was devoured a few nights ago, much to Meryl's chagrin.

"So, are we ready to go? I'm pretty sure we packed everything already." Faye gazed around at the empty campsite with little patience. She was very anxious to leave this hellhole as soon as possible.

"We should get going." Shannon turned his head towards Zolo, who was still lying inside the shelter. "You alright? You haven't said a word this morning."

Zolo didn't respond back. Instead, he continued staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. In all truthfulness, he did not want to leave the Tsunade campsite. He did not want to merge, nor did he want to exit the safety of his comfort zone. This place had been his home for the past twenty days. It contained so many memories, so many stories, and so many mementoes that he was about to leave behind. Even the green buff he wore around his bicep was about to be taken away. Everything that is or was part of Tsunade will soon disappear, except for the tribal loyalty that ran in their bloods.

"Come on, we don't have all day!" Faye stomped her foot on the ground impatiently.

"Alright, alright…I'm coming." Zolo muttered as he climbed outside of the shelter. He was feeling a bit sentimental, although he fought hard to repress this emotion from showing on his stern face.

"You packed everything?" Shannon asked.

"I have everything I need right here." Zolo held up his two machetes.

"Yeah, it's a great way to tell your new tribe members you're a psycho." Roy joked.

"Let's go." Shannon gave a conclusive nod.

"To the merge." Zolo said, taking one last look at the Tsunade campsite with a determined smile. "Let's kick some ass."

_**Zolo:**__ You know, we're going to merge and wear new buffs and do all that fancy shit. But I'm still one hundred percent with Tsunade. My allies are still Shannon…and Roy I guess…and even Meryl, we got along a lot better in the past few days. But I can't relate to anyone else from the other tribe. They're just too different. I don't like 'em. I don't like changes. I'm not used to change. I like my game, my alliance, my strategy to stay the way they are._

He sighed and shook his head a few times.

_**Zolo:**__ But this game is always changing, no matter what my stubborn head thinks. If I don't adapt and change my ways, I'm going to get thrown behind…_

- - -

Iruka gathered all ten castaways together, including Mai and Meryl, who already donned their brand new yellow buffs. Although it was more than obvious what was about to happen, most of the players still waited cautiously for the official announcement. They feared there might be some unexpected twist. But there was no twist. This was just a plain old regular merge.

"Jiraiya and Tsunade are no more. Drop your buffs." Iruka clapped his hands together. "You're now one tribe!"

Several people cheered in excitement. Unsurprisingly, Faye shouted the loudest out of everyone. She pretty much threw her old buff aside before Iruka could even hand out the new ones. The only person who seemed relatively annoyed about the merge was Roy, but he wore his game face even as he received a yellow buff from the host.

"Have you decided on a name for the tribe?" Iruka asked the two ambassadors.

"Sarutobi." Mai declared. She waited for a few seconds before adding a brief explanation, "Guy mentioned something about how it's the name of the third Hokage, I think? We thought that'd be an appropriate name for our new tribe."

"Nicely chosen." Iruka smiled and nodded his head. "And which campsite will you live in?"

"We picked the Jiraiya camp because it's in slightly better condition," replied Mai.

"Also a nice choice. But unfortunately, you guys will not be going back to your old camps." Iruka flashed an impish smile at the surprised castaways. "You're moving to a new camp as a symbol of a brand new start. Think of it as your second beginning."

He handed a map to the nearest person, which happened to be Bulma. She immediately began to protest.

"You're not serious!" She dropped her mouth open in surprise. The idea of abandoning Jiraiya's cozy shelter and rebuilding another one seemed almost blasphemous in her mind.

"Get used to it. This is _Survivor_." Holland said in a gruff tone.

"On the bright side, we have prepared a fabulous feast for all of you." Iruka barely finished his sentence before all the players began clapping at the announcement. He waited for the noise to die out before continuing. "I'm sure most of you are eager to meet each other, new and old faces, so I won't hold you up any longer. Good luck with everything. I'll see you at the _individual_ immunity challenge tomorrow!"

Harley, who could barely contain his excitement any longer, threw all inhibitions in the air as he ran towards Faye. With a playful wink and a hearty laugh, he embraced the bounty huntress in a long, friendly hug. Faye wasn't a frequent hugger, but she still felt grateful for being saved at the last immunity challenge. And Harley, in the rare occasion where he did not have any ulterior motives, was just genuinely happy to see his friend again.

"You're back! Finally!" Harley laughed, releasing the bounty huntress from their embrace. "Still looking like the sexiest bitch in this tribe!"

"Welcome again, Faye." Holland added

"It's like I never left." Faye remarked.

All she said was one sentence, but it was more than enough to prove to Jiraiya that Faye was still on their side. She just confirmed her allegiance to the orange tribe, not that they had any doubts in the first place. Faye flashed a cheeky grin at her old tribe members – Harley, Holland, Kari and Bulma. She never thought she'd be this happy to see them again, but nine miserable days in Tsunade made her grow very appreciative of her former tribe.

Finally, she had a tribe where she could go back to. Finally, she had an alliance that would accept her. Finally, she had a place where she could belong.

Faye Valentine was home again.

- - -

Holland did not shy away from the role of leadership in the new Sarutobi tribe; in fact, he embraced it almost immediately. He was the one who led his tribe to their new campsite, carrying both compass and map in his hands. Under his excellent navigation skills, they arrived at their new camp – identical to their previous ones except it was bare – in less than an hour or so. Tsunade was impressed and awed by Holland straight off the bet, just like how Jiraiya had fallen under his spell since the first day.

The Gekko State captain might not be the friendliest person, nor was he the most emotional person. But he got the job done efficiently and effectively, which was what made him such a respectable figure in the tribe. Was he worried that he'd be perceived as a threat by Tsunade? Not really. Holland knew his role as the leader will be discovered sooner or later, so he might as well make it an open secret. Besides, he wasn't too worried about Tsunade targeting him. He didn't think he would be going home anyway.

Because last time Holland checked, the numbers were still on his side.

"We're here, Sarutobi." Holland announced to the rest of his tribe.

"This is our new home from now on." Meryl added dramatically.

"It's in our best interests if we start working right away…not unless we want to sleep on the ground tonight," said Shannon. Minutes upon arriving, he was already stuck in his workaholic mode. "We don't have anything set up in the camp. We got no shelter, no fire, no water…"

_**Shannon:**__ Moving to a new camp means we must start over from scratch again. And since we've ten people living in the same quarters, the workload is going to be even more intense. Just because we're at a new camp, it doesn't mean we can ignore our regular duties. We have to get the work done sooner or later._

"Screw that crap!" Bulma dropped her bags and belongings on the ground. "So, who's ready to pig out!?"

In front of her was the aforementioned feast. Many plates of delicacies were laid out on top of a large picnic blanket. The foods ranged from appetizers like biscuits and egg rolls, to main courses like pork and chicken, to desserts like chocolate and strawberry shortcakes. The _Survivor_ production team definitely did not hold back in delivering a tremendous meal to the players. And if the players didn't know any better, they might even consider themselves a little too _pampered_.

"Dibs on the chocolate!" Harley laughed, clapping his hands together in glee.

"Back off, that whole plate is mine!" Mai grinned.

"Hey, hold on. Don't touch the food. Let's not eat yet." Shannon raised his arm in the air to catch everyone's attention. "I meant what I said earlier. The day is still young. We can get a lot of work done in the meantime."

"Can't that wait? There's an entire feast in front of us!" Zolo exclaimed impatiently.

"Yeah, the food is going to get cold at this rate!" Meryl added.

Unsurprisingly, Shannon's opinion was not met with a lot of support. After twenty days of hunger and malnourishment, it was difficult for anybody to turn away from a mouth-watering feast right there in front of them. The food just looked _so_ deliciously tempting from a distance. How can they say no?

"I still think we should work before we eat." Shannon seemed unwilling to back down from his stance.

"He has a good point." Holland chimed in, looking quite impressed. "Working on our camp is a more important priority than stuffing our faces with food."

"The shelter isn't going to be an easy project, but if we work fast enough, we can finish it before the sky gets dark." Shannon paused to glance up for a moment. It was a sunny and cloudless afternoon, perfect conditions for working in his opinion. "You'll be thankful later that you've a roof over your heads during the night. That's why we should get started as soon as possible."

Roy bit his lips, not appearing very content with the decision process. There was food right there in front of him! How can anyone turn down food in favour of doing tedious work!?

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Shannon." Roy made an uncertain gesture with his hand. "The food is going to get cold and spoiled if we wait any longer."

"Yeah, we can always do the work _after_ we eat, right?" Meryl noted.

Shannon's face stiffened after these remarks. He admitted that it was a little upsetting to hear his own tribe members argue against him. He would have hoped they'd at least show some support out of tribal loyalty. In fact, nobody from Jiraiya actually said anything because they wanted to be polite, whereas Tsunade knew Shannon so well that they weren't afraid to speak up and voice their opinions.

"I'm just trying to help the tribe." Shannon muttered coldly.

"Yeah, we understand…but your idea is just so bloody dull!" Roy tried to laugh and eased the tense atmosphere, but of course his joke had the opposite effect on the humourless Shannon. The colonel then reached over to squeeze Shannon on the shoulder. "Loosen up a little, would you? It won't kill you to have some fun."

"But the work isn't going to get done all by itself," said Shannon.

"Come on, Shannon. You have to be a little more flexible here." Zolo frowned. "Don't be so _boring_ all the time!"

Shannon glared at his ally, looking genuinely hurt.

"Fine. You guys can eat if you want. I'll do the work by myself." Shannon mumbled.

And then, he turned his back on his new tribe, hurriedly walking away from the group despite their protests. He disappeared into the forest without looking back once. It didn't take long after Shannon's departure until the guilt kicked in. A few unaffected people insisted they commence the feast without the swordsman, but some of the more moralistic players were having second thoughts.

"I feel so horrible right now, you guys. I know I haven't done anything wrong, but I still feel really guilty." Meryl drew a heavy sigh. "I don't think I'm in the mood for a feast."

"I don't feel like eating either. It doesn't feel right to eat when Shannon is working so hard for us!" Kari nodded.

Faye rolled her eyes. She can tell the direction of this conversation was changing for the worse.

"I don't understand why he had to make such a big deal out of it. It's just a damn feast." Faye muttered apathetically.

"But there's no way we can make Shannon do the work by himself." Holland began nodding his head in agreement. "This feast is meant for everyone. We shouldn't eat it unless all ten of us are present."

"I agree. I think the feast can wait a little later…" Kari echoed.

"But you guys didn't support him a minute ago. Isn't it a little hypocritical to change your minds now?" Faye pointed out.

"That was _before_ he went off by himself. Now I feel guilty about leaving him behind." Meryl sighed. "This is supposed to be our first day together as a tribe! Nobody deserves to be alone!"

"Why don't we follow his suggestion? We can work now and eat later. I trust nobody has a problem with this arrangement?" Holland eyed his tribe members for reassurance.

He intended it to be a democratic question, but it might as well be a factual statement. Everyone wanted to leave behind a good impression on the first day, so obviously no one would argue against the self-appointed "leader". Some might be objecting to the idea in their heads, while others cast longing glances at the food. But in either case, nobody dared to defy Holland, at least not in front of the new merged tribe – seven of whom were prospective jury members. Even the mouthy Faye bit her lips, controlling herself from firing a feisty remark. She might be opinionated, but she was not a fool.

"Let's get to work then, shall we? Less talking, more working." Holland glanced at his tribe expectantly. And they all nodded their heads and smiled like obedient followers should, no matter how unsatisfied they might have really felt.

_**Faye:**__ So here we are in the Sarutobi camp. You can tell right away this is a very serious tribe. I was hoping we'd eat some food and mingle with each other. But Shannon was all gung ho about that stupid shelter, and then he threw the biggest hissy fit when nobody wanted to work with him. He was like, 'You guys go eat. I'll do the work all by myself! Boo hoo hoo!'._

She used a nasally voice to imitate Shannon, which sounded nothing like him, but her intent was still evident.

_**Faye:**__ And of course, everyone started feeling bad for him, so we all ended up working anyway. I'm thinking…we're going to live here for the next few weeks. Why are we doing all the damn work now!? I'm sorry, I just can't stand when a grown man plays the martyr card. Ugh. Shannon is the type of guy who sucks the fun out of everything. I hate him. I hate Tsunade. I hate them all._

- - -

Despite his notorious reputation, Harley was pulling his weight around camp for a change. Accompanied by Mai, the two friends were currently scouting for fruits in the forest. And together, they formed a formidable duo. That was because they were, hands down, two of the best fruit gatherers in this game. His sharp eyes and her keen sense of smell were both important attributes when foraging for food in this massive forest. As Harley once joked, he and Mai could strip the entire forest naked if they wanted, which was not as farfetched of an exaggeration as it sounded. He might not work much, but he was still_ really_ good at his job.

Although some people, like Asuka and Guy, were dismissive of this easy job, the fruit gatherers met their fair shares of challenges along the way. At this moment, one problem that they encountered was a huge mango tree that was separated from the mainland by a wide and murky swamp.

"Oh my god, do you see it!? Look at all those mangoes over there!" Harley exclaimed, tugging his friend on the sleeves. "I think we just hit the jackpot, my dear!"

"Mangoes are love!" Mai grinned.

"This is, like, the motherlode of mango trees!" Harley joked. However, his toothy smile faded away as soon as he realized a very troubling problem. "But how are we going to cross this swamp and get the mangoes?"

The mango tree was located on the other side of the swamp, and it was nearly impossible for them to reach the tree, which seemed so near yet so far away. The swamp was far too deep and far too dirty for either of them to cross it ("Who knows what germs and bacteria are living inside there!?" Harley shivered). The resourceful Mai tried using a branch to retrieve these mangoes, but even _that_ was not long enough.

"Damn. This is tough." Mai put her hands on her hips in a defeated manner. "We can't get them. It's impossible."

"But everyone will be so ecstatic if we bring back these mangoes! We'll be like the heroes for the day!" Harley sighed.

"Hold on. I think I know a solution." Mai smiled as she scanned her eyes through the forest. Some distance away, she could see a bored looking Zolo strolling along by himself, carrying a bunch of wood over his shoulders. And the light bulb in her head immediately sparked, because she knew a great help was coming their way. "Yo, Zolo! Yeah, you! Come over here!"

"What? I'm busy collecting wood for the shelter." Zolo grumbled.

"Can you help us get those mangoes over there? It's kind of far from our reach." Harley smiled sweetly.

Zolo glanced at the large mango tree straight ahead, estimated the approximate distance, and looked around to examine the environment. Then, he nodded his head and dropped his load of wood onto the ground. Rolling up his sleeves, Zolo stretched a few of his muscles before surprising the heck out of Mai and Harley by _leaping_ right over the swamp! He landed safely by clutching his hands onto a tree branch, although his legs were still dangling in the air.

"Holy…shit." Mai muttered under her breath.

"Oh my god! Be careful!" Harley covered his mouth in surprise. He could not believe that Zolo just jumped over the swamp without any hesitation. "That's…that's pretty incredible! That's_intense_!"

Eventually, Zolo made his way up the tree and climbed around it like a vigilant monkey. He began picking off a few mangoes from the tree before he stopped, turning his head towards an awestruck Harley and a worried Mai.

"How many do you want!?" Zolo shouted.

"Doesn't matter! Just get back here safely!" Mai yelled back.

He threw about twenty mangoes to Harley and Mai until almost the entire tree was picked clean. Afterwards, he managed to swing himself, with perfect grace, from the mango tree all the way to where his acquaintances were standing.

"You almost made it look too easy." Harley shook his head in disbelief. There was a strange enamoured smile on his face. "Thanks so much, Zolo. That was _so_ badass!"

"Meh. My feet touched the swamp on the way back." Zolo frowned, glancing at his extremely muddy legs. He was drenched with what looked like brownish-white water up to his thighs.

"Are you kidding me!? You jumped across the entire motherwhooping swamp! I didn't even know if that was humanly possible!" Harley gasped dramatically. He pointed his finger at the large swamp just to emphasize what a feat it was. "Has anyone ever told you how super special awesome you are!?"

"It's no big deal. You got the mangoes, right?" Zolo shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah." Mai nodded her head. She paused for a moment before continuing, "You know, I'm more impressed that you actually helped us out in the first place. The old you would have told us to get the mangoes ourselves. You would have told us to shove those mangoes up our asses or something."

"Hey, I'm not that kind of guy!" Zolo made a face.

"You're not as much of an asshole as I last remember you. I'm kind of seeing you in a new light." Mai smiled faintly at the pirate. "You changed a lot, Zolo."

"That's what people do in this game, Mai. We change. For better or for worse." Zolo cocked an arched eyebrow at the blonde. "I just wish some people will _change_ their minds and vote with their old tribe again…"

A look of mischief flickered over Mai's eyes, but she did nothing more than nod her head in agreement.

_**Mai:**__ I haven't met eye to eye with Zolo in the past, but I can tell he's trying to make amends. Can you really teach an old dog new tricks? I'm not sure yet. He's not the same guy as before. He's actually kinda…hot, you know?_

The blonde laughed, as if she could not believe she just said those words out loud. She shook her head and began twirling her fingers over her long curly hair.

_**Mai: **__I'm not going to lie. When Zolo jumped over that swamp, I felt strangely attracted to him for a moment. He looked like a total bad boy, and you know how much I love them bad boys! But then, I remembered he's the same guy who tried voting me out a few days ago. And I promised myself, there and then, I won't ever forgive him for what he once did to me._

- - -

Shannon Casull was not a very popular man in the Sarutobi tribe right now. Ask almost anyone and they'd agree that they would much rather be eating than working on some stupid shelter. But here they were, held against their wills, just because one stubborn idiot decided to defy the group consensus. And already, Jiraiya was fed up with their new acquaintance that they met only a few hours ago. And already, they were bitching to each other about how unfair this was. And already, they were thinking about voting Shannon out of the game.

"Why the hell is he working so hard? Is he trying to make the rest of us look bad?" Faye complained to her alliance members, who got together in a small group to discuss about the upcoming vote.

"We just got rid of Guy, but I didn't know he spawned a clone!" Bulma joked.

"Look, we can't vote someone out just because he works hard. It's a ridiculous reason." Holland sighed. He felt like he was the voice of reason in his alliance. "You might not like him, but he's busting his ass to work on the shelter. Just look at him!"

For the entire afternoon, Shannon went out of his way to prove how much of a workhorse he was. While some people made one trip to the forest, he had already returned from two trips with thrice the amount of wood. He simply moved faster and worked harder. As a result, everyone noticed the tremendous effort he put into the shelter. And Holland, who was normally not an easy man to please, was very impressed with the young man's strength and work ethics.

"So what? He works? We all do." Faye said, not realizing how ironic her sentence was to some extent. "But he's also a big physical threat in this game. He's probably the strongest guy in Tsunade. Do you realize he's working with a broken arm right now?"

She had never been Shannon's biggest fan in Tsunade, but she found him exceptionally insufferable today. He was here, he was there, he was all over the place. Wherever he was, Shannon was always working, working, and working some more. Yes, being hardworking might be an admirable trait in most cases, but it could also act as a double-edged sword especially in the eyes of _certain_ tribe members.

"He's injured?" Holland looked a bit startled at the revelation.

"Yes, and as you could see, it's not hindering his strength one bit," said Faye.

_**Faye:**__ I do have a more…selfish reason why I want to vote out Shannon, besides the fact that he's annoying as hell. That's because I know I can never get his jury vote. He's an impossible man. He's too stubborn to ever forgive me for taking out Orihime eons ago. So if I can convince my alliance to get rid of him now, I'll benefit from it the most._

"I thought we decided on Zolo a long time ago? He's the number one target, remember?" Holland spoke in a cautious manner. He always assumed Zolo was the most obvious target out of everyone in Tsunade.

"Zolo just _appears_ strong, but he doesn't have a lot going on upstairs if you know what I mean." Faye smirked. As always, she couldn't resist making snide remarks behind people's backs. "He's very transparent. You can read him like an open book."

"So, Shannon is more subtle?" Holland raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I wouldn't say he's more subtle. But I think Shannon is definitely the calmer one. The wiser one." Faye nodded a few times to herself. "I peg him as a threat. It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for."

"What about Roy? He seems like a pretty big threat too." Holland tried to compromise.

"No." Faye immediately vetoed this nomination, because there was no way they were sending her _Survivor_ boyfriend home that soon. "It has to be Shannon."

"But we decided on Zolo…" Holland muttered, appearing torn over this decision. He knew he was viewing this decision from a personal level, but he actually did like Shannon from the few hours he met him so far. The Jiraiya leader always liked hard workers, which was why he gravitated towards Guy and Kari in the first place. Besides, Holland didn't like to be challenged on his decisions. He liked his alliance members to follow exactly as he says.

"Please Holland? Please? Do it for me?" Faye put on her best innocent smile. "I just went through nine days of hell in Tsunade! I think I _deserve_ a little break in this game!"

"Come on, Faye…"

"Just this once, Holland? Please let me get what I want?"

Holland stared at Faye and sighed. He knew if he didn't say yes right now, there was going to be a lot of bitching happening behind his back. Faye was not the type of woman who will put this matter to rest until she got what she wanted. And right now, it was extremely important that Jiraiya maintained as a unified tribe. If there was even one tiny crack in their alliance, the Tsunade tribe will surely exploit it.

"Fine. As long as Jiraiya votes together, it doesn't make a big difference to me," said Holland at last. For the sake of keeping his alliance intact, this was probably the best decision. "All the Tsunade men are interchangeable with each other anyway."

Faye let out a big whoop in the air to express her satisfaction. It felt so great to have power again.

And suddenly, this brief discussion allowed the number one target in Tsunade to become a whole less dangerous, resulting in a new substitute target to take his place.

Zolo was in.

And Shannon was out.

- - -

After many hours, much effort, and a lot of dedication from everyone, the shelter was finally completed by sunset. The rewarding payoff was they could all sleep in peace and comfort tonight. Best of all, however, was the feast that followed afterwards. Sure, the food was cold and potentially dirty, judging by the amount of flies that sward over the plates. But everyone was so hungry by this point, none of the minor peculiarities made a difference to them.

Best of all, however, was the feast that followed afterwards. Once the shelter was completed, the tribe members were finally allowed to partake in the feast. Sure, the food was cold and potentially dirty, judging by the amount of flies that swarmed over the plates. But everyone was so hungry by this point, none of the minor peculiarities made a difference to them. The players were just happy to have food down their systems.

"Ohhhhhh my god, everything tastes so good!" Bulma exclaimed gleefully.

"Aw geez, my stomach is still growlin' like crazy!" Zolo grinned.

"This is, like, the best day ever!" Harley laughed, while chomping an enormous bite out of a chicken wing. "We have shelter, we have food, we have Faye, and we have the new tribe members! It's perfect!"

_**Bulma:**__ The food…oh, the food! It was amazing. Absolutely amazing. To tell you the truth, I was almost brought to tears by the feast! I'm not even kidding. It has been so long since I last tasted…actual human food. I ate so much during the feast it was unbelievable. I was wolfing down plates after plates; it was so disgusting and so delicious at the same time. I think I gained like fifteen pounds today. Oh well, I'll probably lose it all off in a few days!_

After a while, Holland brought out a bottle of champagne from the picnic basket, proposing a celebratory toast. Of course, they didn't have any cups, so they had to take turns chugging the bottle and sharing it around. All except for Kari, who was the only underage castaway in her tribe.

"I propose a toast to Shannon!" Holland raised the bottle in the air and waved it around. "I'd like to thank him, on the behalf of everyone in our tribe, for all your contributions to the shelter. We know you worked your ass off today and I just want to let you know that we appreciate it!"

"Yeah, Shannon was a star!" Meryl beamed.

"He's always very capable around camp." Zolo added with an approving nod.

Shannon, who was not very comfortable with praise or spotlights, flashed a modest smile at his tribe members. Meanwhile, Faye rolled her eyes out of annoyance, although no one managed to catch this discontented gesture of hers.

"I'd like to propose a toast too!" Harley snatched the bottle from Holland's hand, "This one is for Guy! Thanks for being voted out so the rest of us have a chance at winning the challenges!"

Everyone laughed, including Kari. Afterwards, Bulma also demanded the champagne bottle, because she wanted to make a third toast to her tribe. Soon, this pass-the-bottle ritual became sort of a game for tonight, where everyone was joking around together and having a good time.

"I dedicate my toast to Asuka, because camp life has been a whole lot quieter without her!" Bulma grinned.

This one was a bit of an inside joke exclusively for the Jiraiya members, who shared a good chuckle among each other. Kari laughed as well, although she was beginning to feel these jokes were getting a little personal.

"I don't know what to say!" Meryl laughed when she was passed the champagne bottle next. "Um, I guess I'm making my toast to this _egg roll_ I'm holding, because it tastes really, really good in my mouth!"

"Hear, hear! This one is for the egg roll!" Harley laughed, pumping his fist into the air.

"My toast is for Faye. Thank you for stripping naked in almost every challenge so far." Roy grinned, pointing his champagne bottle at the bounty huntress across from him. "Please, feel free to do it more often after the merge. We certainly won't mind!"

His toast got a loud round of laughter out of everybody, especially the Tsunade members, who knew far too well about Faye's exhibitionistic tendencies in the game.

"I'm making my toast to…hmmm…" Mai paused for a moment. When it was her turn to make a toast, she scanned her eyes across her tribe to find an appropriate target. "To Holland. Thanks for being such a kick ass leader in the past twenty days, and here's to hoping for a few more in the future!"

Holland, who incidentally sat next to the blonde, grabbed the bottle and decided to make another toast.

"I'd like to reciprocate my toast to Mai, for being such a hot babe." Holland grinned.

Mai took the bottle back from Holland.

"My toast is for Holland again." Mai had an impish smirk after consuming a huge gulp of the champagne. "I'd like to thank him for the compliment, and may I add, I also think he's the sexiest man in this game."

"That's a…a wonderful assessment of me, Mai." Holland now had the bottle in his hands and was pouring more alcohol down his throat. As a result, his words were beginning to slur a little. "I want to tell y-you…that you've a pair of phenomenal breasts…the best I've seen on any woman…"

A few players gasped at the seemingly inappropriate remark, but Mai was not one of them. Instead, she casually got her hands on the champagne bottle again, not even taking it away from Holland as she spoke.

"Tell me something I don't know." Mai winked at Holland in a playful manner. "And just for your information, I think you've a fine looking ass yourself."

Holland and Mai continued passing the bottle back and forth, with their remarks growing more and more intimate after each exchange. By now, most people noticed their rather inappropriate interactions with each other. It was inappropriate in the sense that Holland was married, and Mai was not, but this line seemed to have blurred as they continued talking in very _dirty_ language, out in the open, right in front of the entire tribe.

"They're making me really uncomfortable." Meryl whispered out loud. Holland and Mai were too absorbed in each other to notice that she was speaking. "Should they be talking to each other like that?"

"I totally see your point, girl." Bulma glanced at the couple and shuddered.

"May be they're a bit drunk?" Harley suggested.

"Either way, someone needs to give him a talk." Zolo grumbled impatiently. "Give the bottle to somebody else! I want to have a turn too!"

_**Meryl:**__ May be we were being too sensitive, but some of us noticed how Mai and Holland were…flirting with each other during the feast. I didn't expect any less from Mai. Her notorious reputation precedes her. But I'm pretty surprised by Holland's behaviour, because quite frankly, I expected a little more from him. He's a married man and he should know the boundaries when he's talking to a single, attractive woman like Mai. I don't know what's going on between them, but I sure hope they know what they're doing…_

When Holland and Mai heard the complaints, although reluctant, they decided to put a stop to their steamy little exchange. Neither of them seemed to catch on to the suspicious and disapproving looks from a few of the more moralistic players. They didn't think they were doing anything wrong in particular. They were just having some_harmless_ fun with each other.

"Here, it's your turn, handsome." Mai gave the bottle to Shannon.

Shannon didn't have much to say, nor did he want to make a pointless speech in front of the group. So, he hastily passed the champagne bottle to the next person, who quite ironically, turned out to be Kari.

"I can't drink this, you know. My parents will kill me if I do." Kari smiled.

"You can still make a toast," said Shannon.

"Well, in that case…" Kari raised the bottle of champagne high in the air. "Cheers to the new Sarutobi tribe!"

The atmosphere seemed to have restored, not completely, but to the point where the players felt relaxed again. However, the night had not reached its climax until it was Zolo's turn to make a toast. He had anticipated this moment for a long time, but what happened next he never expected in a million years.

"Aw hell!" Zolo peered inside the bottle when it was finally his turn. "This damn thing is empty!"

It was the way he said it with such earnest disappointment that made everyone burst into rambunctious laughter. That was the icebreaker moment they needed to rejuvenate the entire group again. Soon, the playful laughter returned and the harmless joking resumed. Everything seemed peaceful in Sarutobi again.

With the toasting game put to rest, the castaways began to socialize with each other, sharing tidbits of personal info as part of the get-to-know-you process. The atmosphere during the feast was very light-hearted and casual, allowing some players to loosen up and let down their guards. And for a moment, everyone was just enjoying themselves and having a good time. Some of them even forgot they were playing a game for a million dollars.

But not Faye Valentine.

She_ always_ remembered the game was on.

"Well, Mai. I certainly heard a lot of rumours buzzing about you. You were quite the character in Tsunade, according to Roy." Faye leaned over to get a good view of the blonde. "I heard you played the hidden immunity idol already."

As if Faye said the taboo words, all the small conversations that were going on simultaneously ceased to exist. All eyes were on the bounty huntress, who was glaring at Mai. Up to this point, no one had brought up the subjects of strategy or the game during the feast. So, when Faye mentioned the hidden immunity idol out of the blue, people's interests were suddenly piqued.

"Really? You haven't told me that!" Harley gasped, turning his head to his left.

"A little bird told me the same thing about you." Mai said, recovering from the surprise attack rather well. She glanced at the bounty huntress with an amused smirk. She still remembered the juicy details in her conversation with Meryl yesterday, where she divulged about all the trouble and chaos Faye caused in Tsunade.

"You haven't told me that either!" Harley gasped again, turning his head to the right this time.

"I'm just confirming if the rumours are valid or not." Faye shrugged her shoulders.

"Now you know." Mai said, also smiling.

Faye and Mai glared silently at each other, daring the other person to speak next. There was a mounting tension between the two women, even though it might not be visible to the unobservant eye. In this moment, Faye remembered how Mai sent her over to Tsunade for nine days of hell. At the same time, Mai remembered how Faye sent poor Orihime home with the hidden immunity idol. Even though they just met, these two women already had a lot of complicated history with each other.

This might be the first showdown between the two Valentines, but it definitely won't be the last.

Because they both knew there was not enough room for the two of them to coexist on the same tribe.

- - -

After constructing the shelter and after indulging in the feast, everyone was happy, or they should be happy, about their tremendous achievement as a tribe. Bottom line was Sarutobi will be sleeping on a surface instead of the ground tonight, which was an idea that made _everybody_ happy. But no matter how hard she tried, Meryl could not feel a single ray of joy in her heart. She was in one of her emotional slumps again that seemed to frequently plague her during this game. She had not been the same ever since that unpleasant reunion with Mai yesterday.

"Mai isn't with us. She crossed over to the dark side." Meryl whispered urgently to her alliance in the middle of the night, in a place where the four of them were away from any prying Jiraiya members. "She said she's unwilling to betray her alliance with Harley. We're screwed!"

"That troublesome woman…" Zolo muttered.

"It's not over yet. She still has the whole day to change her mind," said Shannon.

"_We_ still have the whole day, the whole tomorrow, to change her mind. We'll have to talk Mai out of that brainwashing they inflicted on her. She's a part of Tsunade, not Jiraiya! Our tribe loyalty runs in her blood!" Zolo grunted.

"May be you should go talk with her again." Roy suggested.

"Yeah, may be I should…" Meryl forced a weak smile on her face. "It wouldn't hurt to try, right?"

So, Meryl went to Mai to make another pitch.

While Roy Mustang went straight to Holland to beg for mercy.

Roy needn't confirm with Mai to know her allegiance was with the Jiraiya tribe. If the way Holland and Mai flirted with each other tonight was any indication, there was no way the blonde was coming back to Tsunade again. She won't vote with them at the next tribal council, not even to risk a tie. It was too unnecessarily dangerous. It was too unnecessarily _stupid_. Mai had a safe cozy position in her alliance with Jiraiya, while she was nothing more than a fifth wheel in Tsunade. Why risk guaranteed safety just because she and Meryl were old friends?

But if Mai was not voting with Tsunade, it meant the green tribe was at a clear disadvantage in its numbers. All four of its remaining members were in danger of being targeted, some more so than others.

Which meant Roy could become the seventh person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_.

And that simply must not happen.

So, Roy did what his survival instinct told him to do in a situation like this. He went to talk with Holland, the big guy, the de facto leader, the official decision maker, the figurative god of the Sarutobi tribe. If there was one person who could save Roy from his imminent doom, Holland Novak was the man.

Currently, Holland was fixing the shelter's roof because he wasn't satisfied with the way it looked. Faye was inside the shelter, presumably sleeping. Roy hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should talk with Holland in a more discreet place. But Holland had already noticed him, and it was too late to back now.

"What do you want?" Holland asked, cutting straight to the chase.

"Hello Holland, I'd like to make a deal with you," said Roy.

"I'll see what I can do." Holland's stern expression did not falter.

"Don't target me at the next tribal council." Roy looked up at Holland with a confident smile. "In return, I'll give you my vote. I'll vote for whoever you tell me to vote for tomorrow night."

Where this conversation went from here was more than predictable. Holland interrogated Roy on his motives for a little bit, and the charismatic colonel answered all his queries in his usual savvy way.

Was he selling out his tribe? No, of course not, Roy was just expanding his options in this game.

Can he be trusted? Yes, Roy came from a very well-respected background in the military. Of course he can be trusted.

What was the primary incentive for Holland to accept this deal? Well, Roy can serve as a double agent, reporting all the inside info and secrets going on in Tsunade.

But truth be told, it didn't make a difference how Roy responded, because Holland was always going to say yes no matter what. Roy literally had this offer sealed and stamped the moment he said 'hello'. For the entire day, Holland had been waiting for someone from the enemy tribe to approach him about the vote. He anticipated there would be at least one greedy player who will sell out his or her tribe just for a few more days in the game.

All it took was one traitor, one defect, one paranoid player who thought he might be going home…

And the Tsunade alliance was no more.

_**Holland:**__ I was more than happy to accept Roy's deal, because doing so will fracture the enemy tribe even further. So far, two of their members have already defected to our side. And honestly, Tsunade isn't much of a threat anymore. They're a complete mess. I find it amusing that they're turning against each other and I haven't even done anything yet! They just self-destructed on their own!_

"Just to confirm, you'll vote out Shannon if we don't target you at the next tribal council. That's the deal, right?" Holland asked.

"The next two tribal councils." Roy tried to bargain.

"Don't push your luck." Holland smirked. "Let's take this one tribal council at a time. Think of it as a business contract. If I like the way you work, I may prolong this pact."

"Fine. A handshake seals the deal." Roy extended his arm to Holland, and the two men shook each other's hands with much caution. "It's nice working with you, Holland."

"We'll see how this goes." Holland nodded.

Roy smiled to himself, having guaranteed at least a few more days in the game. It wasn't the most honourable deal, but as long as he was still here, he'd do anything. Even if it meant someone from Tsunade had to leave before him. That was perfectly fine with Roy.

- - -

**DAY 21**

Mai wanted to scream out loud.

Because Meryl Stryfe was simply not listening to common sense.

"I don't get it. I really don't get it, Mai! Tell me one reason, one good reason, why you're stabbing Tsunade in the back!" Meryl exclaimed angrily. She didn't care if most of her tribe was still asleep. Right now, it was her emotions talking instead of her brain.

Mai sighed, looking understandably distressed. This was the third time Meryl had pestered her about the vote, and bless her heart, the insurance agent only grew more annoying after each time. The blonde woke up early this morning, with the purposeful goal of evading Meryl as much as possible. Unfortunately, the stubborn little woman still caught up anyway.

"How many times do I have to explain this?" Mai rolled her eyes. She held up her hand, as if she was about to go through a long list of reasons. "First of all, I'm not stabbing Tsunade in the back. I don't know about you, I was never in their alliance in the first place."

"It's a tribe thing. You were always in our alliance!" Meryl argued.

"The guys tried to vote me out the last time I was in their tribe." Mai shot a dirty look at the petite woman. "How can you even say I was in their alliance!?"

Meryl bit her lips. Okay, she didn't have a proper rebuttal to _that_ point.

"Not to mention, my current alliance will be pissed if I betrayed them at the merge! I promised Holland again and again that I won't vote him off!" Mai clenched her fists together with intensity. "I promise Harley that I'll stick with him! I made so many promises and you can't expect me to break them off!"

"You made a promise with me too!" Meryl shouted.

"Look, you're clearly not listening to reason right now." Mai held up her hand in front of Meryl's face. "I don't know what happened to you, Meryl. You used to be cool."

"That was before I found out you were a backstabbing bitch." Meryl muttered bitterly.

"Honey, don't call me a bitch." Mai shot her a warning glare.

"I don't like holding back." Meryl averted her gaze to the ground. She sounded rather apologetic in her tone, but she also refused to admit defeat. "You have turned exactly into Faye. You've turned into the same type of person I despise the most."

"I didn't want it to be like this." Mai shook her head in sadness. "I didn't want the two of us to be enemies."

Without elaborating any further, the blonde turned around and began walking away. As much as she loved confrontations sometimes, Mai did not particularly like arguing with a friend – although she used this term loosely with Meryl. Were they friends anymore? That was a question that neither of them knew the answer to.

_**Mai:**__ I'm in such a bad position right now. It was even worse than I imagined. Meryl just went psycho on me today, but to be perfectly honest, I think I kind of deserved it. I'm not saying she's right, at least not from a game perspective anyway. But I feel bad for her. I understand where she's coming from. It's just too bad that we're on opposite sides of the battlefield._

She put her head down on her knees, letting her blonde wavy hair fall over her eyes.

_**Mai:**__ But I've made too many commitments to Jiraiya. I can't turn against them now…can I?_

Roy, ever the opportunist, knew the best time to win over a woman's heart was during the peak of her vulnerability. Having just witnessed that heated argument between the two Vixens, he figured this was the ideal chance to milk Meryl for her jury vote. If Shannon was indeed going home tonight, then the rest of the players here, bar two, will all become prospective members of the jury. And thus, it was important for Roy, the master of appearances, to come across as a caring and charming gentleman in every way possible.

Meryl did not speak or look up when Roy approached her, just moments after Mai stormed off in the opposite direction. She didn't even say anything when the colonel embraced her in a gentle hug. The gesture felt a bit contrived, but she enjoyed the comfort of it anyway.

"That must have been rough." Roy whispered into her ear, still holding his arms over the insurance agent. "I know what you were trying to do. You did your best."

"Did you see everything?" Meryl asked.

"You two woke up the entire tribe. It was quite the morning call," said Roy.

Fearing the worst, Meryl directed her eyes at the distant shelter. She could see Faye waving at her, looking absolutely delighted at the argument that had happened. Meryl turned away without responding back.

"No matter what happens, you're still my fiery little pixie, you know that?" Roy put his hand on her forehead and brushed her bangs aside. "That's what I like about you. There's never a dull moment in your presence."

A voice in Meryl's heart was telling her to wake up. She should know better than to fall for his shtick. She knew he was charming her, just like how Roy had charmed countless women in the past. But at the moment, these were the encouraging words that she needed to hear the most. And so, she let her usual instincts slide by and allowed herself to soak into Roy's arms.

"I admit, your method of persuading Mai to vote with Tsunade is…a little unorthodox." Roy continued, clutching onto Meryl's body even tighter than before. "It's not exactly the approach I would've taken."

"I kind of scared her away, didn't I?" Meryl stifled a laugh.

"But at least you tried." Roy smiled.

"I just feel like I let my alliance down." Meryl muttered.

"I don't even think that alliance exists anymore…" Roy joked. It was an aside comment he didn't intend to make, but it slipped out of his mouth at the most inopportune moment.

Meryl immediately pulled herself away from Roy.

"What did you just say?" She narrowed her eyes at the colonel.

_Crap._

And that was the moment Roy knew he made a critical mistake. He should have remembered that she was an extremely sensitive woman, and she would react to even the slightest suspicious remark. He should have never mentioned the Tsunade alliance to the woman who was most determined to keep it intact.

"Please don't tell me…" She began.

"I'm sorry. I had to save myself." Roy had no choice but to confess. She was going to find out about his decision tonight anyway. "It's not my proudest moment, trust me."

"Not you too…" Meryl shook her head slowly.

"Nobody hates this more than I do," said Roy.

Both of them kept silent for a while. Roy stared at Meryl like she was a ticking time bomb, because he was uncertain how the emotional insurance agent will react to the news. To his surprise, she didn't drop down and cry hysterically as he expected (Roy never had very high expectations of Meryl), although he did see some tears glistening in her eyes.

"Who're they targeting first?" Meryl asked.

"Shannon."

Meryl's heart dropped. It was the name she least wanted to hear, besides her own.

Her favourite person in the game will be gone after tonight.

_No!_

"I can't take this anymore. I…I can't." Meryl began stepping back. Although Roy tried to grab her arm, she pushed him away. From the corners of her eyes, she can see Faye walking towards them, fearing that the pair had been together for far too long. This was the last place Meryl wanted to be right now. "I'm sorry. I need to be alone."

Without saying another word, Meryl turned around.

And she ran.

_**Meryl: **__Mai acted like a completely different person since I last met her. Roy has turned his back on Tsunade as well. And here I thought we were all in an alliance together! How naïve of me! It…it just amazes me how two-faced some people can be sometimes. The people you thought were your best friends can turn out to be your worst enemies._

The petite woman wrapped her arms around her knees as she spoke.

_**Meryl:**__ That's what I like about Shannon. He's dull, stubborn and predictable, but at least I know he's always there for me. But now I find out this could be his last night here, because Jiraiya wants to vote him out first. And if…if that happens, I think I might reach my breaking point. I can't take this any longer!_

Her lips quivered and her body trembled a little, but Meryl remained strong for the rest of this confessional.

_**Meryl:**__ I never seem to catch a break in this stupid game. I'm always on the losing side, always losing challenges, always losing allies, always losing the crucial votes. Yep, that's pretty much my crappy story. I'm Meryl Stryfe, the eternal loser._

- - -

Right before the immunity challenge, Meryl quickly relayed the bad news to Shannon. Just a short simple sentence informing him that he was in danger tonight. If he didn't win immunity to save himself, he was definitely going home. Because not only was Mai voting against them, but apparently Roy had jumped on the bandwagon as well.

And with that piece of information hanging over his head, Shannon arrived at the challenge today with a determined-to-win-it-all attitude. He must win immunity today. Or else.

As always, Iruka instructed the players to return the immunity idol, except this was the last time any of them would see the monumental wooden sculpture ever again. The immunity idol will no longer come into play. The _new_ immunity item was a headband, which consisted of a rectangular metal plate attached to the front of a long blue cloth. Imprinted on the metal plate was a symbol of the Konoha village. Iruka would explain, in great detail, these headbands (better known as forehead protectors) were worn by all ninjas to signify that they had graduated from the ninja academy. In the context of _Survivor: Konoha_, this headband possessed a brand new meaning: its owner will be immune at the next tribal council.

"Immunity headband?" Zolo repeated the term to himself almost in sheer disbelief. "What the hell is that!?"

"Yeah, what happened to all the pretty necklaces?" Bulma asked.

"Like it or not, this is the successor to the now retired immunity idol." Iruka said as he displayed the new immunity item for everyone to see. "You'll be playing for the immunity headband."

"I bet it'd look cool around my forehead." Holland joked. Although coming from the confident captain, he probably didn't intend it to be much of a joke.

"I still can't believe we're playing for a damn headband!" Zolo shook his head.

"Anyway, moving on to today's challenge…" Iruka cleared his throat, looking a bit annoyed at the unenthusiastic reactions from the players. "You'll be competing in a shuriken throwing contest. Each of you will be given three stars, which you'll throw at the target over there."

He gestured his hand at an archery target some distance away. It was positioned at a fairly close proximity, no more than a few arms lengths from where the castaways were standing.

"It's one point if you hit the white rings, two points if you hit the black rings, three for the blue rings, four for red, five for yellow, and a massive ten points if you score a bullseye. At the end of your three throws, your score will be tallied up. The player with the highest score will win immunity. Simple enough?"

"Guy would have totally killed us in this challenge," said Bulma.

"I know. Sweet irony isn't it?" Harley grinned.

Without further ado, the immunity challenge quickly commenced. Bulma was the first person to step up and compete, while everyone else watched from the sidelines. She aligned her body to the target, adjusted the tiny black shuriken in her hand, and then she threw it with the most strength she could muster.

The shuriken launched itself into the air…and fell on the ground a few feet away.

She didn't fare any better in her second throw, still missing the target completely. Although she came closer in her third throw, her shuriken still didn't make any contact with the target, thus she ended this round with a pathetic score of zero. Bulma returned to her seat on the bench with a shaky smile.

"If you guys want to win this challenge, just watch what I did and then do the exact opposite!" Bulma joked.

Faye came next. Right away, everyone can tell she was a serious contender, just by judging her determined expression and threatening stance. She aimed her shuriken at the target, and then threw it in a graceful yet deadly accurate manner. It landed in the inner blue rings, scoring her three points. She had a bad throw in her second attempt, missing the target by a few feet. The bounty huntress managed to recover in her third try, scoring another three points, thus bringing her tally to six.

"Faye is the current leader right now with six points." Iruka announced. "Harley is next."

The Pokemon Coordinator missed his first throw, hit the outer white rings in his second throw, and then surprised the heck out of everyone when he scored a perfect bullseye in his final throw. A few players gasped, including Harley himself. Luck was certainly on his side in this challenge!

"Harley is in the lead with eleven points!" Iruka announced, while Harley covered his mouth in guilty delight. He still could not believe he hit a bullseye!

The fourth person to throw was Holland, who took his time aiming and adjusting until he was satisfied. As a result, his shuriken hit the target all three tries. It landed on the red zone in his first two tries, and the yellow zone in his third attempt. His total tally was a very impressive thirteen points.

"Holland is the new leader!" Iruka reported in amazement. "You guys just keep getting better and better!"

Kari, who went next, ended this coincidental streak. The petite girl did not use enough strength in her throws, thus she kept missing the target in all three of her attempts. Her final score was zero points, making her dead last along with Bulma. When Kari returned to the bench, she and the inventor exchanged a playful high-five with each other.

Meryl looked somewhat nervous as she stepped up for her throw. Closing one eye, she tried aiming the shuriken in line with the target. Her first throw landed in the black zone, her second in the blue zone, and her third time improved onto the red zone. Her final tally added up to a respectable nine points, which was a solid score, but it was not enough to beat Holland.

Neither Mai nor Roy fared any better, scoring six and four points respectively. After all these turns, Holland still maintained the leadership with thirteen points.

"Holland is still the man to beat!" Iruka announced. "Shannon, you're up next."

As he stood up, Shannon had a gut feeling that it was important to win immunity, although nobody informed him yet about his precarious position on the chopping block. He picked up his shuriken, aimed it, and threw it directly into a yellow ring, scoring him five points. His second throw was equally impressive, hitting a yellow ring again and just barely missing the bulseye.

"Shannon is getting close…" Roy muttered.

"Go Shannon!" Meryl beamed.

Shannon took a deep breath as he picked up his last shuriken. This was his do-or-die moment. If he didn't win immunity, he was going home tonight. The score to beat was thirteen points. If only Shannon could hit his shuriken in a red or yellow ring, or perhaps even the bullseye, then he could best Holland's score and replace him as the new leader.

_SWOOOOOOOOSH!_

"Blue ring means three points. That brings his total to thirteen. Shannon is tied with Holland for first!" Iruka announced excitedly. "This could get very interesting!"

_Damn_. Shannon thought to himself, clearly unhappy with the results. At least he didn't do any worse than Holland. At least he was still in the running. Now, his fate rested in Zolo's hands.

Zolo can feel the pressure mounting on him as he stepped up to the plate. Other people might have buckled if they were in his position, but the competitive swordsman was born to feel the adrenaline. The higher the stakes, the more confident he felt about his chances. He picked up a shuriken, briefly aligned himself with the target, and then threw it without any hesitation.

A bullseye.

Several spectators whistled in shock and excitement. That was ten points right there for Zolo, putting him just four points away from snatching a win. All he had to do was get fourteen points and he will guarantee himself three more days in this game.

In his second throw, Zolo threw his shuriken with too much force. It flew over the target and landed nowhere even close in proximity. His grin widened as he picked up his last shuriken. The pressure was on!

_SWOOOOOOOOSH!_

Although his third shuriken made contact with the target, it only landed on a black ring. Twelve points in total. Close but no cigar. His throw was not enough to beat the highest score.

"We have a tie!" Iruka clapped his hands together, as if he was anticipating for this moment to come. "We're going to our tiebreaker round. Holland and Shannon, come on up. You guys are going to throw your shuriken at the same time."

Holland and Shannon stood up, after acknowledging each other with a nod of head.

"Same rules as before, except this time, you get one shot each. It's sudden death. Highest score wins the challenge." Iruka raised his arm high in the air. "This is for immunity! Survivors ready? Go!"

Despite the cue, both Holland and Shannon worked at their own paces. They took their time in adjusting, aiming, and aligning themselves to the target. It was the young swordsman who finished preparing first, and in a swift movement, he hurled the shuriken at the target.

May be it was the wind that threw him off, or may be it was just poor accuracy. Either way, Shannon's throw was definitely not as spectacular as before. His shuriken didn't land in the red ring, or even the blue one. It hit a black ring, equivalent of two points, which was an easy number for Holland to beat.

That was the moment Shannon knew he lost the game.

And that was also the moment Holland knew he can possibly win the game, just by offering the defeated swordsman a very tempting proposal.

"If you don't vote for me tonight, I'll give you immunity." Holland whispered.

_That_ caught the swordman's attention. He turned towards Holland with a very curious expression. The two men were far away from the other players so that their conversation won't be overheard. To everyone else, it appeared like Holland was getting prepared for his throw. In actuality, he was making a very discreet proposal to his opponent.

"I'll throw this challenge for you. I'll miss the target completely." Holland continued, with a small devious smile on his face. "All you have to do is say yes and I'll do it. Simple as that."

"Why are you offering me this?" Shannon asked, also whispering.

_Because I want your jury vote!_ Holland thought inside his head, but he opted for a more diplomatic answer instead.

"Because you're hardworking and you deserve to stay in this game a little longer. My alliance wants you gone and I think otherwise." Holland replied, "Also, if I have your word that you won't vote for me, then I'll _know_ I'm safe tonight. And so will you."

Holland glanced expectantly at the swordsman, wondering if he will take the bait. Of course, Shannon _should_ accept it if he knew what was good for him. Otherwise, he was going home!

"I promise." Shannon muttered.

Afterwards, the swordsman remorsefully closed his eyes. He cannot believe those words just escaped out of his mouth. He was supposed to be a noble warrior. He was supposed to be the honourable one. But to come all this way into the challenge just to be _runner-up_? And definitely go home tonight? Well, that was a prospect that his ego could not tolerate. Thus, when an ideal opportunity presented itself in front of him, Shannon took it for his own self-interests.

Because sometimes, even honest guys like him had to play a little _dirty_.

"I won't vote against you." Shannon confirmed.

"Congratulations, Shannon. I trust you're a man of your word." Holland muttered under his breath.

With a knowing smile on his face, he casually aimed his shuriken high at the sky, and "threw" it in both its literal and figurative sense. Holland missed the target by a long shot.

"Shannon wins immunity!" Iruka declared.

Several players cheered and gave the swordsman an enthusiastic round of applause. Even Holland patted him on the back to keep up the charade. But Shannon did not crack one smile at his victory, not when he knew the true context behind his win. At this moment, guilt had overtaken him, because he had just betrayed his allies in the most _dishonourable_ way.

- - -

Devastated.

That was how Zolo felt when he returned to camp after the challenge. He knew he should feel _happy_ that his ally won the challenge, but it was also reasonable that he felt upset about his own loss. Because Zolo could easily detect he was on the chopping block tonight. Simple logic pointed out that Jiraiya will target either him or Roy tonight, and it was more likely they will go after the intimidating guy with bulging muscles and an intense competitive streak.

"We'll just vote for Holland tonight and hope for the best." Zolo shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, that's all we can do right now." Meryl nodded.

"I'm sorry." Shannon muttered, realizing his immunity win had consequently sealed his ally's fate. But he was even more sorry about what he was going to say next. "I made a deal with Holland. I can't vote with you guys tonight."

"You're kidding, right?" Zolo frowned.

"He let me win immunity if I promise not to vote for him, and I intend to keep my word," said Shannon. He paused for a moment and then added, "I'm sorry."

_Devastated._

Again, that was how Zolo felt at the moment as another dose of reality struck him. Unsurprisingly, he did not respond well to the news at all. His face twisted with rage at first, then it dissolved into confusion, which evolved to disappointment, and then it changed back into fury again. After dropping a few f-bombs here and there, the pirate stormed off without saying anything else to the tall swordsman. Carrying two machetes in his possession made Zolo realize he might do something he'll regret if he doesn't control his temper. But one thing was for certain: he was done with Shannon Casull.

Shannon did not chase after his upset friend, but Meryl did. She located Zolo sitting under the shade of a tree, while sharpening his machetes with a rock. Three weeks ago, she wouldn't have dared to approach the intimidating pirate during his volatile state, but she was so used to his eccentricities by now that she didn't mind him so much anymore. Thus, without hesitance, Meryl sat down next to Zolo and tried her best to console him.

"I don't care what you say. Shannon crossed the line. How can he take a deal from the enemy!? I thought we were in this together!" Zolo vented angrily to the petite insurance agent, who nodded her head and sighed.

"It's not as bad as it seems. He didn't exactly backstab us…" Meryl mumbled.

"Well, it sure feels like it, especially if you're in my shoes." Zolo folded his arms across his chest. "And then there were three. Just you and me…and Roy."

"Actually, Roy isn't with us anymore. He cut a deal with Holland as well," said Meryl.

Zolo responded by dropping another one of his infamous f-bombs.

"But I'm still with you! I'll vote with you tonight, if that counts for anything. At least it won't be unanimous." Meryl smiled weakly.

"This sucks!" Zolo grunted.

"Look, I understand how you feel. But it may not be you tonight. You never know." Meryl patted him on the shoulder, while still clutching onto a sense of false hope. "May be something big will happen tonight. May be someone will decide to flip in the last minute."

"May be isn't good enough! May be means a definite _no_ in this game!" Zolo exclaimed.

"Oh Zolo, don't give up…" Meryl sighed.

"Who said anything about giving up!?" Zolo exclaimed as he slowly rose from his seat. "I ain't going down from this without a damn fight. I'm going to fight the impossible and make something _big_ happen tonight!"

_**Zolo:**__ I'm really disappointed in my alliance. I thought we'd stay together until the end. It seems like everyone is changing their strategies and leaving me behind. Meryl is the only exception. She's the only person who has my back this whole time…which is kinda funny and sad, because I never thought she'd be my one true friend out here._

He had a bittersweet smile plastered on his face.

_**Zolo: **__I'm about to walk the plank, but it ain't over until I say it's over! I'm going to play every angle and fight every battle to stay in this. Mai Valentine is the key. If I can convince her to flip, that could make all the difference in tonight's vote. I know we clashed before in the past, but I'm willing to take a step back and be the bigger man. Desperate times call for desperate measures!_

His last-minute campaigning began when he approached Bulma and Kari out of the blue. Zolo never had a chance to talk with the two women that much, although he had only known them for less than forty eight hours. Nonetheless, he had no qualms telling them they were the bottom feeders of their alliance, judging from his oddly acute observations in the past two days. He proposed an alliance to shake things up, and they can start by taking out Holland tonight. Unsurprisingly, both women refused to make any commitments.

Bulma did not wish to be part of a failed mutiny again, thank you very much.

And little Kari just wanted to stay out of the spotlight for as long as possible. Sorry, but thanks for asking.

Afterwards, Zolo proceeded to talk with Harley and Faye. His pitch didn't go anywhere until he mentioned something about how Holland threw the challenge for Shannon, which was a fact that shocked and infuriated Faye. Yet, she also suspected that Zolo might be lying to save his own skin, so she took his wheeling and dealing with a grain of salt. By the end of his fifteen minute speech on why Harley and Faye should vote Holland out, she looked like she was bored out of her mind.

"I'm not interested." Faye muttered dispassionately.

And Harley just shrugged his shoulders helplessly, as if there was nothing he can do. He liked the bad boy Zolo – he really did, but he wasn't stupid enough to risk his neck out there just to save a complete stranger. Besides, he wasn't interested in any plan unless Faye was on board as well. And she most certainly was not.

Backed into a strategic dead end, the nearly defeated Zolo turned to his last lifeline in this game: Mai Valentine.

Because even if he knew changing her mind was next to impossible, he decided he was not going down without one last fight.

"What do you want?" Mai asked tersely. She scanned over her escape routes, but realized there was no way to escape him without making a big scene. Right now, she just wanted to get to tribal council without any fuss or commotion. She had no desire to talk with anybody from Tsunade.

"Are you voting with Tsunade tonight?" Zolo asked.

"I have my commitments." Mai continued to look forward without making any eye contact. "If I didn't say yes to Meryl all fifty six times, I'm not going to say yes to you now."

"Look, I know we had a rocky past together. Those were the shitty days. But this is a new beginning. I want Tsunade to start anew again," said Zolo.

"It's too late, Zolo. It's just too late." Mai said through gritted teeth.

"Let's start over! Let's work together this time!" Zolo raised his voice a little. Several people turned around to address the noise, but he didn't care if they overheard or not. He just wanted to get his message through to Mai.

Mai winced, but continued to stare ahead. Why did he have to make it so_ difficult_ for her!?

"It doesn't have to be just you. Bring Harley along if that makes you happy. Tell him to vote with Tsunade as well." Zolo continued his pitch. "I can't imagine he's too happy under Holland's dictatorship. Both of you should rebel and join our side."

This was the part that intrigued Mai, because Meryl never mentioned the idea of bringing Harley over to the Tsunade alliance. And suddenly, she was beginning to see his whole proposal in a whole different light. Because things could be very different and very chaotic if Harley was thrown into the mix.

"You don't mind if Harley joins your alliance?" Mai asked.

"Hey, I'm flexible! The more the merrier!" Zolo put his hands in the air. "I know Harley likes me, so if you just give him the word, he'll jump ship in a heartbeat. He'll do whatever you say."

"I won't say I have that much power over him," said Mai.

"Look, you can bring Harley with you to this alliance. Or Bulma. Or Kari. Hell, bring them all if that's what you want. As long as you're on board, any alliance is possible." Zolo knew he sounded a little desperate, but this was his last plea before the vote. He had to make it count. "You're the key component, Mai. If you say yes to our alliance, everyone will follow and all the pieces will fall into the right parts."

"I don't know…I don't know what I should do." Mai said, closing her eyes.

"We're voting for Holland tonight. All we need is your vote," said Zolo.

"Yeah, I'll think about it." Mai nodded her head. Whether she said this out of genuine conflict or just to shut him up, Zolo did not know. All he can do now was to hope for the best.

_**Mai: **__I wish Zolo acted like a jerk, so I'd have an easier time writing his name down tonight. But nooo, he had to come and lay the biggest guilt trip on me. And I'm going to feel horrible about myself no matter what I decide tonight. Either I backstab Tsunade and look like a conniving bitch, or I backstab Jiraiya and look like a conniving bitch. There's no right answer to this dilemma. It's all wrong. Everything is wrong!_

Looking up, the conflicted blonde flashed a sad smile at the camera.

_**Mai:**__ My brain is telling me to stick with Jiraiya, but my heart wants me to go back to Tsunade. I didn't know how much I missed my old tribe until I saw them again. You know what they say, grass is always greener on the other side of the fence…_

- - -

Iruka wasted no time in asking the juicy questions when Sarutobi arrived at tribal council. He can predict this was going to be a long night with much drama and lots of fireworks. There was always conflict when two tribes merge together in _Survivor_, whether it was a clash in personalities or clash in strategic decisions. And right away, Iruka can sense that the mouthy Bulma was _aching_ to blow out some steam tonight.

"Bulma, how are you finding the merge so far?" Iruka asked.

"I think it's a wonderful opportunity to finally meet everyone in this game. They all seem very nice so far. Of course, it's just the second day. So by my calculations, we'll be ripping each other's eyes out in two weeks." Bulma grinned. Her little joke got some laughs from the group.

"Are you confident you'll still be here two weeks later?" Iruka teased.

"Bad Iruka! Don't give them any ideas!" Bulma winked.

"Give me a rundown of what happened in the past forty eight hours. Any highlights so far?" Iruka asked, still directing his question at the sassy inventor.

"I don't want to look like I'm a gossip queen!" Bulma covered her mouth as she laughed coyly. "I said enough! Why don't you pick on somebody else?"

"Okay. Harley, tell me your experience so far."

"We got along quite well actually. I'm kind of surprised! I guess the claws haven't come out yet!" Harley said this with a cheeky grin. "But there was some drama on the first day involving Shannon and the feast…"

"What happened, Shannon?" Iruka seemed curious.

"I wanted to work and everybody else didn't." Shannon said expressionlessly. "It was just a difference of opinions. There was no drama."

"See, I don't like how Shannon makes it seem like we all refused to work." Faye raised her arm in the air to speak. "Most of us just wanted to eat the feast first, and then we'll work."

"As we witnessed later that night, the feast occupied the entire night. If we didn't follow my suggestion, we wouldn't have gotten anything done." Shannon glared at the bounty huntress.

"So what?" Faye shrugged her shoulders. "We can do the work in the next morning. Our camp isn't going anywhere!"

"Some people have excuses for everything," said Shannon.

"I'm not even going to respond to that." Faye scoffed as she shook her head, clearly displeased. "I just think it was very _inconsiderate_ of him to put his own priorities ahead of ours. Everyone else wanted to eat except for Shannon."

"There was nothing inconsiderate about what I did." Shannon protested.

"To be fair, we did have a very comfortable shelter to sleep in that night." Meryl suddenly spoke up, interrupting the ongoing argument between Shannon and Faye. "So, I'm glad we worked ahead because we reaped the benefits afterwards."

"Mai, what was your reaction when you reunited with your old tribe again?" Iruka asked.

"I just feel happy that we've merged. Meet everyone again, it's all good." Mai managed to skilfully dodge the question. "It was nice to see my old tribe members again, yeah…"

"You're obviously in a very interesting position, game-wise. How are you voting tonight?" Iruka asked.

"I'm voting with my tribe." Mai gave a vague response that was up for interpretation, but Iruka chose not to elaborate on it. Meryl shot her friend with a hopeful glance.

"Same question, Faye. How are you voting tonight?" Iruka asked.

"I'm voting a threat out." Faye smiled.

"Okay, it's time to vote. Shannon has immunity and cannot be voted out. Everyone else is fair game." Iruka pointed his finger at the Pokemon Coordinator. "Harley, you're up first."

Harley got up and voted. Followed by Faye. Then Bulma. And after that, Kari. Every time a person returned from the voting shrine, Zolo wondered if his last-minute campaigning had any effect on their decisions. He knew most people in Jiraiya relatively liked him, or at least they liked him better than, say, Shannon. But tribal council was not based on a popularity contest. It was strictly business, as Holland would say when he cast his vote against Zolo for tonight. In a very strict and emotionless voice, he had said:

"This was a strategic decision. One down, three more to go."

Roy followed after, casting a very similar vote. He had a small guilty smile on his face when he showed his parchment to the camera.

"This is a vote out of respect. Best of luck in your future endeavours, my man."

Meryl went next, casting a vote against the Jiraiya leader.

"Um, Holland, I don't know you that well, but you made it pretty clear that you're the leader of the Jiraiya alliance. This seems like the most obvious choice. Sorry."

Then, the man himself, Zolo, was the next to arrive at the voting shrine. In his typical messy handwriting, he also scribbled down Holland's name on the parchment.

"Once the captain is killed off, the whole ship goes down. Try to be a little more subtle next time, jackass."

Shannon voted. And finally, Mai Valentine walked up to the voting shrine. She stared at the camera and mouthed the words 'oh shit' to the cameraperson. With a nervous grin, the blonde picked up the black ink marker and wrote down a name.

"You definitely changed, so good for you. Unfortunately, I have not. I forgive but I never forget. You voted me out before. Now we're even."

- - -

Zolo could hear his funeral bells ringing as Iruka marched back with the voting urn. He knew right away, just from a gut instinct, that his previous efforts had been futile. Two days just weren't long enough to make a lasting impression on these strangers. At least he put up a good fight to save himself, which was something he will never regret. Now, he can sit back and enjoy the show where he was the star. He began to wonder about the ten votes inside that container. The real mystery tonight was _how many_ of those votes had his name written on them.

"Once the votes have been read, the person voted out will be asked to leave tribal council area immediately." Iruka said solemnly, like always. "I'll now read the votes."

He pulled out the first parchment from the urn.

"Holland."

Then, the second parchment.

"Holland."

And the third.

"Faye."

Several players looked confused at this vote, including Faye herself. She did not expect to receive a single vote tonight. In fact, it would have been downright hilarious if she got voted out right after she survived three agonizing tribal councils in Tsunade. The bounty huntress wasn't worried, although a few of her allies were. They didn't know if this vote came from their side or the other side. Perhaps there was a traitor among their ranks?

The real culprit behind this vote was actually Shannon, who kept his end of the bargain with Holland at the immunity challenge. Just as he had promised, he did not cast a vote against the Jiraiya leader tonight. At the same time, he also managed to stay somewhat loyal to Tsunade by exploiting the loophole in his deal. In any case, his vote did not affect the final outcome tonight.

"That's two votes for Holland and one vote for Faye. Next vote…" Iruka pulled out the fourth parchment from the urn. This one had an entirely different name from the others before. "Zolo."

The pirate nodded his head and grinned in anticipation. Here came the avalanche of votes.

"Zolo."

And another one…

"Zolo."

After another…

"Zolo."

At last came the fatal vote, cast by none other than Roy Mustang himself.

"The seventh person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_…" Iruka gave a quick pause before turning over the parchment. "Zolo."

And finally, it was over. Zolo jumped out of his seat, more than ready to leave this predictable tribal council and shove a few hamburgers into his mouth. He exchanged high-fives with Meryl, but purposely left Roy and Shannon out of the exchange. Then, Zolo grabbed his torch and marched over to Iruka, carrying a cocksure smirk on his face.

"The tribe has spoken." Iruka snuffed out the pirate's torch. "Zolo, it's time for you to go."

Just before he departed on his walk of shame, the pirate turned around and addressed his tribe with some unanticipated final words.

"Mark my words. Someone from Tsunade will win this game." Zolo smirked.

Before anyone else could respond back, and before Iruka could intervene, Zolo turned away and began walking down the dwindling path out of tribal council. Very soon, his figure disappeared among the darkness.

"Those were some very interesting final words. Prophetic? Or just false hope?" Iruka smiled impishly at the nine remaining players. "I guess we won't find out until much later. Sarutobi, you may head back to camp. Goodnight."

Meryl took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Zolo might have foreseen this outcome, but she had been clinging on to a naïve hope that some miracle might happen tonight. May be Mai will come to her senses. May be Tsunade will stay intact. May be Holland will be voted out instead. But after witnessing tonight's vote, she had been let down in all three occasions. Not only did Mai betray her, not only did Roy turn his back on her, but even Shannon – her favourite person in the tribe – refused to vote with her.

And now, Meryl found herself in the exact same position as she was in after the first tribal council. She was alone, blindsided by the majority vote. Once again, she was in the minority, where she was a target, an outcast, and an eternal _loser_.

After three whole weeks of perseverance, she was back to square one.

- - -

_**Zolo's Final Words**_

Damn! Almost made it to the jury. I would've kicked some serious ass if I lasted longer, but they saw me as a threat I guess. I saw it coming, but I'm still kinda pissed off about going home. It's always humiliating to lose. Losing ain't easy. At least I put up a good fight. Not sure it did me any good, but I tried. Anyway, it has been one hell of a journey. There were some lows, but I enjoyed myself out here. Would I do _Survivor_ again? Yeah…hell yeah!

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**Roy plans a romantic gesture for the ladies…**  
_Roy: A rose for each of you._  
_Bulma: You're so cute!_  
(In a confessional, Harley beams at the camera.)  
_Harley: All the girls are practically in love with Roy._

**Mai gives Holland a steamy lap dance…**  
_Mai: You want this, don't you?_  
(She begins undressing herself in front of a drunken Holland.)  
_Holland: Oh yeah._

**And Harley shakes up the game…**  
_Meryl: You want us to vote him out?_  
(Meryl looks uncertain. Harley nods his head eagerly.)  
_Harley: The five of us. It's happening._

_**All this and more on – Episode 8: Guardian Angel**_

- - -

**Author's Notes:** We're midway through the story! Thanks to all my readers, all my subscribers, and all (or just _the_ one) my reviewers. As long as I have more reviews than chapters, I'm satisfied! Remember, any reader input will help improve the story, so please take the Episode 7 Survey! I'm hoping for a higher turnout this time!


	8. Episode 8: Guardian Angel

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_The two tribes finally merged into one. Shannon and Faye had a sour disagreement over the priorities of work at their new campsite, prompting Jiraiya to target him first instead of Zolo. During the feast, Holland and Mai's flirtations were called into question, but they both dismissed it as harmless fun. In the meantime, Meryl tried rekindling the former Vixen alliance, but Mai was unwilling to break her current ties with Jiraiya. Roy cut a temporary deal with Holland to secure his position, while Holland made a separate deal with Shannon and exchanged immunity for his vote. As Tsunade slowly splintered apart, Zolo and Meryl stayed true to their minority alliance, and at tribal council, Zolo was voted out by the majority of the Sarutobi tribe._

_Nine castaways remain. Who will be voted off next?_

**Episode Eight: Guardian Angel**

Sarutobi Tribe** : Bulma** _(Dragonball Z)_,** Faye** _(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Harley** _(Pokemon)_, **Holland** _(Eureka Seven)_, **Kari** _(Digimon), _**Mai** _(Yu-gi-oh)_, **Meryl** _(Trigun)_, **Roy** _(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon** _(Scrapped Princess)_

- - -

**DAY 22**

Looking up at the cloudless morning sky, Holland was thankful for yet another sunny and breezy day in Konoha. Other than that miserable rainstorm a few weeks ago, the weather had been very generous thus far. Every day, the sky appeared a little bluer, the trees seemed a little greener, and even the birds sang to a more chipper tune. Holland loved living in these tranquil Konoha forests. Sure, the bug bites were annoying and there were bird droppings everywhere. Yet, compared to the chaotic settings he had lived through in the past, Holland didn't mind the peaceful monotony at all.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Holland asked, smiling at the petite woman next to him.

"Yes…yes, it is." Meryl said hesitantly. She wasn't accustomed to making friendly chat with Holland of all people. He was like Shannon in ten years with greying hair and a leadership complex. May be the Gekko-State captain was just in a talkative mood today, because she thought that was a very uncharacteristic thing for him to say.

"I didn't learn to appreciate how beautiful the world is until the moment I almost lost it." Holland continued, looking a bit lost in his own thoughts. "I remember like it was yesterday…the second Summer of Love."

Meryl nodded her head as a response. She still didn't know where this conversation was going. That was the reason why she didn't like talking with Holland very much. He scared her most of the time.

"You don't know what the hell I'm rambling about, do you?" Holland asked.

"No, not really." Meryl admitted sheepishly. May be he was a better people reader than she thought. "But it sounds like you got hit by a case of nostalgia."

Holland said nothing as he glanced up at the blue skies again. Meryl can tell that he was thinking, but she didn't know what exactly was on his mind. For all she knew, he could be plotting some diabolical plan to vote her out of the game. She was beginning to realize how little she knew about this enigmatic leader next to her. He always seemed so cold and distant in her eyes. She didn't even know why Holland invited her for a morning walk in the forest, when Meryl really preferred to go by herself.

"Are you preoccupied with something, Holland?" Meryl asked. He shot her a curious glance, which made her turn away in embarrassment. Oh, she wished he would not stare at her with those piercing blue eyes. They make her feel like he could read through her soul.

"Why do you ask?" Holland was still staring at her.

"You seem different, that's all. You keep looking at the sky and stuff…" Meryl laughed nervously. "Sorry if I'm distracting you."

"I was just thinking about my wife. It's like you said, nostalgia sledgehammered me." Holland replied with an earnest smile. "I do know my family is up there looking out for me though."

"Oh, are they…? I'm very sorry!" Meryl winced.

"No, no, no! Shit, that came out the wrong way!" Holland let out a genuine laugh. He shook his head a few times, still laughing. It was a very masculine, very self-assured laugh, one that soothed Meryl's ears for some strange reason. "I meant they're on an aircraft. They're flying. With Gekko State."

A compassionate smile found its way on Meryl's face. She couldn't help it if she was a sucker for good old-fashioned family values. Not that she was a big family person herself, but anyone with close bonds to their family can't be a bad person in her eyes. She was beginning to warm up to Holland. Strict and mysterious as he was sometimes, this guy was definitely a _good_ family man.

"Well, have you gotten your wife a present yet?" Meryl asked.

Holland did not seem to understand her question. He looked very confused.

"You know! A Konoha souvenir…or a memento of some kind. I bet she'd really appreciate it if you got her something special. All women love presents." Meryl tried to explain.

"A million dollar cheque is a pretty good present if you ask me!" Holland grinned. He gave the sky another hopeful glance. "I don't know. I'm not the romantic type."

Meryl smiled again. Now, she discovered that Holland was a practical person. She liked that quality in a man, seeing as she was one herself. Someone who was too much of an idealist made poor lovers. Meryl would know.

"That's such a guy thing to say." Meryl shook her head, still wearing that somewhat frustrated smile on her face. "I don't even think it's romantic. It's just a thoughtful gesture. I mean, I'd be really happy if some guy gave me a present, you know?" She paused for a moment and chuckled. "I know I sound really materialistic here…"

"No, I see your point. I'll think about it." Holland slowly nodded.

And for the third time, Meryl smiled. From this short little conversation, she discovered that Holland loved his family, viewed life practically, and could be very understanding to new suggestions. May be he wasn't as intimidating as she originally thought he was. He seemed like a nice guy. Meryl even thought that may be, just may be, the two of them can be friends.

- - -

Holland Novak didn't sign up for _Survivor_ to make friends.

He didn't invite Meryl for a walk this morning just so they can talk about mundane topics although he was impressed with the air of maturity she displayed. She actually acted like a reasonable adult, which was something he found lacking in his current alliance members. Nonetheless, Holland wasn't just generating goodwill with this conversation. No, he had a much more _practical_ intention.

He wanted to make an alliance.

An alliance with Meryl Stryfe.

Meryl Stryfe, a member from the enemy tribe.

The enemy tribe that Holland once stated he will decimate one by one.

Something wasn't adding up, as the production crew would tell Holland in one of his interviews, but he assured them he knew exactly what he was doing. He was not a strategic dummy as many players had dismissed him as. Just because he was the leader, it doesn't mean he was stupid. Just because he had a big target on his back, it doesn't mean he can't start making counter alliances to save himself.

_**Holland:**_ _I'm under no illusion that my current alliance is solid. Hell, I don't trust any of them. Ideally, Jiraiya will stay intact until the Final Six. But it's in human nature that someone will get greedy and screw up a perfect plan. So, that's why I need to ensure my safety before the time comes._

These words were coming from the same man who had been spreading propaganda about how Tsunade must be destroyed. Yet, his behaviour thus far seemed almost contradictory to an extent. After all, Holland was the one who cut a deal with Roy on their first night together. He was also the one who gave up immunity to Shannon during a critical moment in the swordsman's game. And very soon, he was about to make a similar offer to Meryl, who seemed destined to be the last Tsunade member standing.

Watching all of this unfold from a spectator's perspective, the production crew was more than startled at this revelation. Because Holland Novak, the man who foolishly tackled the leadership position from the get-go, might be a more suave game player than they gave him credit for.

_**Holland:**_ _I've been making side deals with Tsunade just in case, because you need to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. But everyone here is an enemy when you think about it. And you don't necessarily need friends to win this game, as long as the jury can respect the way you played this game._

A menacing smile appeared on Holland's face.

_**Holland:**_ _If I made it to the Final Two, being the most blatant leader in Survivor history, and also with the biggest target on my back, I think I deserve a whole lot of respect!_

So, he wanted to make a secret alliance with Meryl Stryfe. That much was clear to him. It had potential to become the most powerful alliance in this game. Best of all, he can easily see himself winning against her in the Final Two. She had a nice personality, but she was also the type who might aggravate a lot of players along the way. In other words, she was the perfect goat.

"I'm glad you didn't vote with us last night." Holland studied the petite woman intensively as he said this. "I think it's very admirable that you stuck by your alliance to the end."

"I was hoping you wouldn't bring it up." Meryl sighed, looking a bit disheartened. "I'm really sorry about my vote. Zolo and I targeted you because…I don't know, you seemed like the most obvious choice. We only know you guys for two days."

"It's no big deal. I understand we're all playing a game," said Holland.

"That makes me feel better. At least I'm not out of the game yet." Meryl smiled a little.

Was this the right time for Holland to offer an alliance with her? He already knew she was a trustworthy and loyal woman, judging by how she voted with Zolo despite all the obvious consequences. If she was really going to be the last surviving member of Tsunade, then would it not be wise for him to cut a deal with her now? After all, he wanted to secure Meryl as an ally before anyone else had the chance.

_No. Not yet. It's too early. _Holland thought to himself. There was slight possibility, not a very likely one he admitted, that Roy or Shannon might outlast Meryl in the game. It might be better to wait and see what will happen over the next few days. Holland didn't want to make any promise that he would be unable to fulfill.

"What are your opinions on Shannon?" Holland suddenly asked, changing the topic in a whole new direction.

"Huh? I…uh, I like him. You know, as a friend." Meryl looked flustered when she said this, almost like she was a teenage girl facing her first crush. "He's very serious and hardworking. I like those qualities in a man. Not that I'm looking at him in anything but a brotherly way…"

"Are you planning to go to the end with him?" Holland asked.

Meryl looked even more flustered than before, but now for an entirely different reason. Holland had always been a very blunt person. He didn't like to sugarcoat his words. When he wanted to know something, he'll just directly ask the question.

"Yes. That is my goal." Meryl quietly admitted. It was the undeniable truth. She didn't want to lie to Holland. She was not a liar.

Holland nodded his head as all his plans became clear to him. He cannot make an alliance with Meryl yet, because there was a huge obstacle getting in the way. Her friendship with the swordsman was too tight. They came from the same tribe and roughed through the same experiences. Holland didn't want to sign up as a second-class ally. If he was to team up with Meryl, then he wanted to make sure he was her one and only partner in this game. There was no way in hell he would settle down as somebody's second choice.

So, it was decided.

Shannon Casull must go home at the next tribal council.

- - -

Unaware that his fate was just sealed by the scheming leader, Shannon spent the morning doing laundry by the waterfall. He was soon joined by a surprising companion – Harley, who willingly offered to help with the washing. Contradicting his previous image as a slothful tribe member, it was quite unclear what motives rested beyond the Pokemon Coordinator's uncharacteristic actions. Was he trying to impress the swordsman for his jury vote? Or was he simply turning over a new leaf? Either way, Shannon was not one to refuse a helping hand.

"You're not rinsing them properly. Here, let me show you." Shannon took the shirt from Harley's hands and demonstrated the correct method. The Pokemon Coordinator _oohed_ and _aahed_ in comprehension.

"Boy, you're really skilled at this!" Harley exclaimed.

"There's no skill involved in washing clothes. It's just a matter of doing it correctly and thoroughly," said Shannon. "You'll learn if you do it often enough."

_**Shannon:**_ _Sometimes, I think I'm doing all this work for naught, because I'm getting voted out in a few days anyway. Why work so hard when it doesn't make a real difference in whether I stay or go? But I'm not the type of person who does something just to keep up an appearance, unlike a few others in this game. No matter what happens, I'm not going to change who I am._

"So, do you wash clothes for fun or something? Is that why you're so good at it?" Harley grinned, almost with a hint of cheek in his voice.

"Yes." Shannon looked up, not smiling.

"Um, okay. Don't you have any hobbies?" Harley asked.

"I swordfight sometimes," replied Shannon.

"And…?"

Shannon didn't reply at first. It took him quite a while before he can come up with an appropriate answer.

"And I take care of my sisters everyday. That is my other hobby," said Shannon.

Harley opened his mouth, although no words came out. He was more than ready to crack a cheeky little joke, but then he realized Shannon was being completely serious with him. If the Pokemon Coordinator was with anyone else, he would be laughing his head off at what seemed like the lamest comment in the world. Yet, in front of the earnest and introverted swordsman, Harley felt a little bad. He knew he should hold back on his usual wiseass remarks.

"What're your hobbies?" Shannon mumbled in a very quiet voice.

"What?" Harley asked out of instinct. He heard the question, but he was just stalling for time. Somehow, answers like '_shopping'_ and '_cosplaying'_ didn't seem acceptable or appropriate in this context.

"Never mind." Shannon appeared very flustered as he averted his gaze elsewhere.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Harley changed the subject as naturally as he could. He was so desperate to avoid an awkward moment with the swordsman.

"I want to go hunting. That used to be Zolo's job until you guys voted him off." Shannon replied. His gaze was still fixated on the shirt he was holding. "I'll have to wait until I finish with the laundry, and that's very time-consuming."

"Why don't you let me take care of the laundry? I can get Faye to help out," suggested Harley. "Then, you can go hunting and do all the other chores at camp."

"I don't want to bother anyone," muttered Shannon.

"It's not like Faye is doing anything productive at the moment. She's probably taking a nap. I'll go wake her up and the two of us can finish the laundry together. It won't be a problem." Harley smiled widely at his companion. "Just leave it up to me!"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive!"

"Well then, thank you."

"You're very welcome!"

_**Harley:**__ I…uh, I hate to credit Guy for absolutely anything, but camp life has gotten a lot more difficult without him around. Everyone is too exhausted to do any work, and we still have a few more weeks to go. That's why I'm starting to appreciate Shannon's value around camp. He cooks, he cleans, he gathers wood, he hunts for food…I mean, he's like Martha Stewart meets Artemis, except you know, he's a guy._

He flashed a toothy grin at the camera. It was the type of reaction from a person who knew he just said something funny.

_**Harley:**_ _Honestly, I've nothing in common with Shannon. I don't tend to surround myself with people who are so serious all the time. But we're trying our best to get along, you know, despite our differences. The last thing I want is another misunderstanding over work ethics or whatnot. I really want to be Shannon's friend and uh…hopefully, this will be a case of opposites attract!_

As she dipped a few random items of clothing in the water, Faye let out an audible and prolonged sigh. She cast a few leering glances at her companion Harley, who tried his best to ignore her cries for attention. He knew she was trying to provoke him and he would not give her that satisfaction. Nonetheless, the bounty huntress continued to sigh and shake her head in disappointment, until Harley finally had enough of her passive aggressive behaviour.

"Look, it's not that much work…" Harley began.

"Harley, we're looking at the _Mount Everest_ of dirty clothes here. It'll take us ages to wash everything!" Faye shouted angrily. "You know, I was in the middle of a nice nap until you came over and ruined everything. Now, I'm being forced to do work that I never volunteered to do…"

"Okay, I'm sorry! I just thought Shannon was doing a lot of work and it'd be nice to help out…" Harley muttered, sounding very embarrassed as he put the swordsman's clothes away. Faye, while snickering, punched her friend in the shoulder.

"You little shit! You didn't need to drag me into this! Chicks before dicks!" Faye hissed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Harley cleared his throat.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. I can see it in your eyes." Faye smiled knowingly.

"What? He's quite the dashing fellow, isn't he?" Harley purposely avoided making eye contact with Faye. He now picked up one of Roy's shirts and folded it in half. "Anyway, I kind of admire the guy. That man is like a machine. He never stops working."

"You didn't say that about Guy." Faye teased.

"Well, Guy looked like a rotten mushroom with green fungus growing all over his body, so get off my case!" Harley grinned. "All I'm saying is I won't mind if Shannon stayed around for a little longer, that's all."

Faye's smile instantly faded away. It was now replaced by a more serious expression. Harley knew that look – it was her game face. Her poker face. Her business face.

"Don't get too attached. He's going home in three days," said Faye.

"But he works so hard on this camp, Faye! If he goes home now, our workload for the next two weeks will like…quadruple! There's no way we can just sit here and do laundry, you know? We won't have someone slaving for us everyday!" Harley sighed under his breath. "Can't we vote out Roy first?"

"You know how I _despise_ Shannon with a passion." Faye glared at her friend.

"Why are you so hesitant about voting Roy out? Every single time I bring his name up, you act like I've just put a curse on your family!" Harley glared back. "I know you've feelings for the guy, but…"

"I don't have feelings for Roy. None whatsoever." Faye quickly denied.

"If you say so…" Harley didn't sound convinced. "So, what if Shannon wins immunity?"

"Then we vote off that bitch Meryl."

"That's like going after Bulma instead of Holland. It doesn't make any sense!"

Faye did not respond back, which only made the Pokemon Coordinator feel even more frustrated.

"Can you promise me you'll at least _consider_ voting out Roy at the next tribal council? We need to keep our options open." Harley grumbled in annoyance. "We're running this game, Faye. We can make the finals together if we don't let our feelings get the best of us!"

"I don't want to talk about this right now." Faye shot back.

"Oh Faye…"

"Not now."

And the subject was dropped.

After that discussion, Faye remained awfully quiet for the rest of their time together. Harley tried his best to engage her in more light-hearted conversations, but she seemed like she was lost in her own world. The Pokemon Coordinator thought it was best to leave her alone for a while. So, he quickly finished his portion of the work and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Faye asked, speaking up for the first time after a long period of silence.

"I'm going to cause some trouble," replied Harley. He gave his friend a playful wink. "It's _classic_ Harley, and you're going to love it."

- - -

Since last tribal council, Meryl thought her days in this game were numbered. Never could she have imagined that she'd become the most sought out player in Sarutobi. As the weakest female of the Tsunade Three, it appeared like she was the least threatening member, and thus also the most likely member to survive in the long run. The combination of those two factors made Meryl a key player in many strategic plans, because Jiraiya wasn't going to hold together their alliance much longer, and she can potentially become an all-important swing vote.

Holland figured out this simple fact and decided to approach Meryl with an end game alliance in several days.

Unfortunately, Harley was also thinking along the same wavelengths. And he had no hesitation in proposing an alliance to Meryl _now_.

"So, just to summarize, this alliance is between you, me, Faye, Mai, and Bulma. It will carry us to the Final Five. Don't worry about Holland or Kari. We can vote those two out any time," said Harley.

He had made a pretty convincing pitch to Meryl for the past twenty minutes, starting from how much he admired her integrity and ending with how he wanted worthy people in the end. Along the way, Harley threw a few flattering compliments at Meryl, because simple white lies can be effective when used properly. And he knew Meryl was buying his whole speech. He can see the visible thinking in her big silver eyes.

"This is almost like a women's alliance, except you know, there's me." Harley smiled cheekily.

"What're you talking about? It _is_ practically a women's alliance." Bulma teased. She had been sitting alongside with Meryl by the campfire, listening to the conversation as a coincidental spectator and an occasional commentator.

"Shut up, you bitch," laughed Harley. Of course, he and Bulma both shared the best sense of humour in the game, so there was no feelings hurt even as they exchanged playful little insults to each other.

Meryl blinked a few times. She still did not know how to respond. How else can she respond when someone just approached her, in the middle of the day, with an offer that seemed to have rained down from heaven? She thought she was going home next. She thought Tsunade was doomed. She thought there was no chance for a comeback. But she couldn't have thought more wrongly.

"Are you still with me? Have I overwhelmed you?" Harley asked during an awkward silence.

"I never thought this was a possibility…wow!" Meryl chuckled. She was trying her best to maintain her composure. What she really wanted to do right now was to jump up and down in joy. This might be the happiest moment in her life. "Are you sure you're not pulling a fast one on me? I feel like I'm dreaming."

"Oh yeah. The five of us. It's happening." Harley nodded his head eagerly.

_**Harley:**_ _Meryl is a great ally because she's honest and a little…naïve. She's not a big threat in the challenges, nor is she a danger in the game. In all truthfulness, I'd rather have her in my alliance than little Miss Do-Nothing Kari Kamiya, who tried voting me out not so long ago. Screw Jiraiya loyalty! I'm surrounding myself with people who I actually like and trust!_

If only Meryl left the deal as it is, everything would be perfect. Had she just said yes without adding any further complications, this alliance of five could very well happen and dominate the entire end game. Five was the right number to secure a majority in the tribe, which was a simple numerical fact that even the slightly clueless Meryl understood. She might even be able to slip through the cracks of Jiraiya and find herself in the Final Five or beyond.

But then, she got greedy.

"I'd like to include Shannon in our alliance if that's possible," said Meryl.

It sounded like an innocent little request. Poor sweet Meryl was just fulfilling an obligation to protect her only friend. Yet, Harley's expression changed so fast that she might as well have slapped him across the face. He certainly didn't recall mentioning Shannon's name anywhere in his deal. It was impossible to fit six people into a Final Five alliance! That was simple mathematics!

"Um…I mean, I obviously don't expect Shannon to go all the way with us." Meryl stammered. Once she noticed the shift in atmosphere, she did some serious backtracking as quickly as possible. She might be asking too much from Harley, who willingly offered her the deal of a lifetime. She didn't want to piss off her only lifesaver in this game.

Bulma glanced at Meryl with a tiny smirk. _What a messy situation!_ She was relieved that she wasn't in Harley's shoes at the moment. She was even more relieved that she happened to be sitting here in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, there was a distinct possibility that she could be excluded from this game changing alliance on a whim.

For example, Harley could have easily agreed to Meryl's request with a simple solution. Replace Bulma's position in the alliance with Shannon and voila! Case solved.

_Yikes. That was close._

As Bulma contemplated over her dash of luck, Harley was struggling over a troubling dilemma. Can he afford to keep Meryl's promise? Everyone knew Shannon was next on the chopping block. In fact, he would have gone last time if it wasn't for his unexpected immunity win. As far as Jiraiya was concerned, the swordsman's fate was still sealed at the next given opportunity. He was going home in three days.

But then, Harley turned around to look at Faye Valentine for silent guidance. She was still doing laundry inside the shelter, albeit she hadn't made much progress in the last twenty minutes. His friend appeared as lost as ever. She just wasn't the same kickass tough chick he allied with at the beginning of the game. He hated to imagine this, but she was probably thinking about _Roy_.

And it was at that moment Harley knew what he must do.

"I can promise you Shannon won't go home at the next tribal council." Harley said to Meryl in a hurried tone. "That's all I can promise you."

"No, that's more than enough." Meryl nodded her head with an excited smile.

"In return, I want you and Shannon to vote with us at the next tribal council." Harley continued, trying to phrase his sentences as carefully as possible. "The two of you have to vote with us no matter who the target is."

"Yes, yes! That won't be a problem!" Meryl replied without hesitation.

"Are you sure about this, Harley? I mean…" Bulma cast a concerned glance at the Pokemon Coordinator. Had he gone too far this time? "You know what the order is."

"Don't worry. I'll work my magic somehow!" Harley winked. He paused for a moment before adding, "Oh, one more thing. Don't tell anyone about this. This conversation is strictly between the three of us."

So, Meryl was feeling more than grateful by the end of their conversation. She got saved by the kindness of a stranger. She even managed to save her dear friend Shannon, which was a major accomplishment on its own. In less than twenty four hours, this helpless girl from Tsunade went from sitting duck to power player like no one expected. It was an amazing feeling, but at the same time, it was also a little scary.

Because Meryl realized that if she was spared from the vote, someone else will have to fill in her place.

And that someone will definitely _not_ go down without a serious fight.

_**Meryl:**_ _It's like a miracle rained from the sky and just landed at my feet! What a gem! Harley not only offered me an alliance today, but he guaranteed that Shannon won't go home at the next vote. I don't know how he's going to pull it off. I don't even know if he's lying to me or not. But I want to believe him, I really do. It's not like I've any other choice anyway. Nobody else has offered me an alliance._

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, as she tried her best to interpret the recent developments.

_**Meryl:**_ _Something big is happening in this game. I can sense it. The collapse of Jiraiya has just begun…_

- - -

A pie eating contest might seem like an unconventional reward challenge, but that was exactly what the castaways will be competing in today. There were identical looking pies laid out on nine separate tables. Every single one was freshly baked out of the oven, so the air was filled with a delicious pie crust scent. That, of course, attracted all the bugs and critters as uninvited company, which made the food less appetizing than they should have been. Nonetheless, it was a strange sight to see so many pies lined up in neat little rows, especially in the middle of a Konoha forest. That fact didn't phase most of the players, who were just content knowing they'll be eating food for today's challenge!

"Welcome to the land of pies," said Iruka, smiling. "Here's how this reward challenge is going to work: there's a letter written on the plate underneath each of the pies. There're eight letters in total, and together they'll spell out a word. First person to scream out that word will win the reward!"

Mai eyed her fellow tribe members to size up her competition. This wasn't a physical or a mental challenge, so she didn't know if her chances of winning had improved or not. The only skill required was _eating_, which was something she learned to appreciate very much after three weeks of starvation.

"You'll have to eat the pies in order to find out what the word is." Iruka continued, "However, you may not use your hands at any point, so you'll have to literally dig through the pie with your mouth. You don't need to eat all eight pies as long as you can figure out what the word is. Just remember the letters are not in order, so you may have to unscramble them first."

"The winner will enjoy an overnight trip at an inn, located in the heart of the Konoha village. You'll get to shower, eat a nice dinner, and of course, sleep in a bed." Iruka gave a cheery smile at the nine castaways. "And just as an extra incentive, the winner of this reward will get to take _two_ people with them."

"You guys, I'll kill for a shower right now." Bulma grinned.

All nine castaways now stood behind their assigned tables. As instructed, they had to place their hands behind their backs. After confirming that everyone was ready, Iruka raised his arm in the air to signal the players.

"Survivors ready? Go!"

Mai felt a brief moment of ecstasy when she took a bite of her first pie. The warm delicious crust instantly melted in her mouth. It wasn't even the taste that overwhelmed her, but the pie's sweet aroma was such a different smell from the stink and reek back at camp. After a few more bites, she identified her dish as an apple pie, her favourite kind.

Meanwhile, Roy shred all dignity as he dove right into the pie like nobody's business. He almost compared himself to a starving dog eating out of a dog dish, which wasn't that much of an exaggeration given his living conditions in the past three weeks. He barely swallowed his first bite when he saw a sign of the first letter on his plate. _The letter M_, Roy thought to himself before he moved on to his next pie. That ended up being a crucial mistake, because he mistakenly misread the letter 'N' as the letter 'M'. In his hurry to finish all the pies, he accidentally identified the wrong letter and lost all his chances of winning this challenge.

"Roy, Holland, and Shannon are already eating their second pies! Most people are finishing up their first…" Iruka reported as he walked along the aisle. "Harley is eating very slowly compared to the rest."

"I can't help it. The food is too good!" Harley said between mouthfuls. He wasn't even trying to win this challenge. He just wanted to enjoy the pie for as long as possible.

Just then, Faye knocked over one of her pies by accident. It landed face down on the ground. The bounty huntress groaned as she picked it up, until Iruka reminded her she cannot use her hands in this challenge under any circumstances. She then glared at him as if it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.

"Do you want me to eat from the ground?" Faye asked in disbelief.

"That's what the rules say." Iruka shrugged.

"You're a sick bastard," muttered Faye. After thinking over her options, she decided to ignore the fallen pie and just focus on the remaining ones still on the table.

The players didn't have the time to enjoy these pies no matter how delicious they might be. Most of them didn't even finish the entire pie. Instead, they just ate the centre of it so they can see the hidden letter on the plate. Shannon opted for a different strategy altogether. He didn't actually eat the pie, but rather he took huge bites and then spat them out on the table. It was disgusting, yes, but he was moving through the pies at a much quicker pace than everyone else.

"Shannon is leading with six pies finished! Holland and Mai are right behind him with five each. Roy has fallen behind, still working on that fifth pie. Meryl, Bulma and Faye are on their fourth. Kari is finishing up her third." Iruka paused as he stood next to the Pokemon Coordinator's table. "Harley is dead last with just one done."

"Slow and steady wins the race," joked Harley.

Meanwhile, Shannon was going through the available letters in his head. _U, U, N, N, S, I._ For the life of him, he couldn't figure out what possible word contained two 'U's and two 'N's. At the same time, Holland was also trying to create a word with a different batch of letters. _J, U, S, T, I_. As luck would have it, the first four letters he uncovered spelled out the word 'just'. Since then, he had gone through the vocabulary for any words with 'just' in it. The closest he came to was _justices_, which seemed too obscure to be the right answer. It should be something more obvious, Holland thought, or at least something more relevant. It should have something to do with Konoha or _Survivor_ in general.

Poor Kari had a small choking fit when she swallowed a huge piece of pie without chewing through it, which ultimately slowed down her progress very much. A few players were also getting sick of eating the pies, and dare they say it, they were getting a little too _full_. To eat so little in the past three weeks and then eat so much all at once was just a recipe for disaster. Bulma felt nauseated after she finished her fourth pie. She let out a loud belch before she began on her fifth.

And then, all of a sudden, Mai's hand shot in the air.

"I think I got it!" Mai exclaimed, while Iruka ran towards her table. "_Stunning_."

A few players glanced anxiously as they waited for Iruka's response. The host shook his head, telling the blonde that was an incorrect guess. It was actually logical from Mai's perspective, but she was missing the key letters that both Shannon and Holland had, which made them instantly know she guessed the wrong word.

By this time, Shannon had begun his eighth pie. Even with seven letters, he couldn't deduce what the word might be. Hopefully, after he finished, he can rearrange all the pies on his table and spell out a word. It was only a matter of time before he figured it out, Shannon reassured himself. He was in the lead after all, and that was what mattered the most.

But this challenge was never about who can finish the pies the fastest. It was about who can solve the word before everyone else.

And that was exactly what happened with Holland Novak, who pounded his fists on his table, causing a huge commotion.

"_Ninjutsu_!" Holland shouted out. He only ate six pies so far, but the latest letter that was revealed (the letter 'u') made him realize he can spell out _jutsu_ with his pies. It was then all the pieces fell into place.

This had to be the answer.

This was the _only_ answer.

"Congratulations, Holland wins the reward!" Iruka exclaimed.

Holland wiped the crumbs over his lips and grinned. He had pie plastered all over his face, but the victorious outcome made for everything. A few players came over to congratulate them, although some others remained at their tables and continued eating the pies. They don't know if this will be the last time they can eat such delicious food at a challenge.

"You may take up to two people with you on the reward," said Iruka.

"I'm bringing Mai and Shannon." Holland paused before adding a quick explanation, "They finished the most pies after me. It only seems fair."

"So, it's decided. Holland, Mai, and Shannon are going to the inn for an overnight stay. You guys are coming with me." Iruka clapped his hands together conclusively. "The rest of the losers, I've got nothing for you. You can now head back to camp."

"Can we bring the pies with us?" Bulma joked.

Mai and Shannon thanked Holland for his decision, and then the winning trio departed with Iruka to the direction of the Konoha village. But just before Mai left, she could hear, with her sensible ears, a few distant voices from the losers walking back to camp.

"She didn't even _win_ the reward challenge and she got to go!"

"Mai is sleeping in a bed again! Don't you guys think she's getting a little too pampered in this game?"

Startled, the blonde turned around to identify the voices. But she did not discover which sore losers made such bitter remarks about her.

- - -

Located at the heart of the village, the Konoha Inn was a fancy building swarming with tourists and villagers alike. The trio wasn't given a chance to interact with anyone, since Iruka quickly checked the players into a luxurious room, complete with two double beds and a window view of the busy Konoha streets. It wasn't as heavenly as advertised, but compared to their living quarters for the past three weeks, this seemed like paradise.

Once they were settled down, Mai locked herself in the bedroom and didn't come out until a few hours later. She spent all that time showering, washing, cleaning, brushing, and doing any hygienic activities she can possibly think of. Meanwhile, the other two men simply enjoyed the luxury of lying on a warm, cozy bed. The only downside to this reward was the confinement, since they were prohibited from exiting their bedroom and interacting with the Konoha villagers. Even so, they had no complaints. Just winning this reward, lying on these beds, and enjoying the cool breezy chill from the electronic fans were more than enough to satisfy them.

_**Holland:**_ _Winning this reward is a major boost to our morale. The food and beds were only afterthoughts compared to how excited we were about the bathroom. You can't even imagine the amount of filth on our disgusting bodies after twenty two days. So, just the ability to take a shower, get a shave, and sit our asses on a nice toilet was wonderful. It's like we got a twenty-four hour pass back to civilization, where we're made to feel human if only for a short little while._

When Holland emerged from the bathroom, last out of everyone, he almost looked like a brand new man. One hour of tidying up had taken a drastic, and even magical, transformation on a once haggard man. Mai didn't recognize him at first with his grey hair gelled back and his scruffy beard shaved off. She always thought he was a sexy man in his own strange manner, but now he was just _smoking_!

"Oh my god, you look so damn hot right now!" Mai blew a wolf whistle and laughed. "You look ten years younger without that stupid beard."

"You clean up well." Shannon agreed. He too shaved off his three-week stubble in the bathroom, but the swordsman didn't have the same reception from Mai.

"I'm not actually Holland. I'm his younger brother, Finland." The Jiraiya leader grinned sheepishly at his cheesy little joke. He took a seat around the dining table and invited his companions to join him. "C'mon, the food is getting cold. Let's eat!"

The meal was delicious as expected, but the one item that registered in their memories was the _sake_. Oh yes, the sweet Japanese alcoholic drink was an instant favourite among the three. They spent hours consuming the sake, accompanied by dozens of silly drinking games they played around the dining table. However, none of them had a high tolerance for alcohol, so it didn't take long before they were completely wasted throughout the night.

Shannon, the responsible one, called it quits before he got too drunk and rowdy. There might be an immunity challenge tomorrow, and he didn't want to wake up with a nasty hangover next morning. Thus, he retired to bed early, leaving Mai and Holland to continue with their randy drinking games. It was basically a rehash of two nights ago, where the two kept exchanging intimate sexual innuendos to each other.

Except they were in a bedroom this time, drunk as can be.

"You want this, don't you?" Mai smiled seductively at the handsome Jiraiya leader, who flashed a stupid drunken grin at the blonde. She slid her arms over his neck, which slowly made their way down to his chest and beyond. "You want a lap dance, don't you?"

"O-oh yeah…" Holland mumbled. He was so drunk that his words came out as an unintelligible slur.

Meanwhile, Shannon was struggling to sleep through the noise. When he opened his eyes out of frustration, he witnessed a disturbing image by the dining table. Mai was currently undressing her blouse in front of Holland, who rocked back and forth in his chair like he enjoyed it. The young swordsman detected the suspicious intimacy going on between Mai and Holland, which might escalate to a new level with severe consequences.

"You guys should stop!" Shannon called out. He knew he shouldn't get involved, but it just didn't feel right to leave them alone like this in their drunken states. "You both had too much to drink!"

They ignored him.

"Holland, you shouldn't be doing this!" Shannon warned. "What would your wife think if she saw this?"

"G-go away, Sh-shannon...go back to-to sleep." Holland muttered, waving his hand in dismissal.

"Yeah, stop being so preachy!" Mai chimed in.

Annoyed that he got told off, Shannon closed his eyes and ignored the couple for the rest of the night. He fell asleep eventually, and whatever activities Mai or Holland did after that, nobody knew but them.

- - -

**DAY 23**

Holland woke up this morning feeling like he was the shittiest person in the world.

"Shit…" Holland rubbed his hand across his forehead. His head was throbbing. He was experiencing first-hand how awful a hangover can be. "Shit…what have I done?"

He can only remember traces of details from last night, but even the vague memories were enough to flood his conscience with immense guilt and shame. It didn't help matters that he woke up half-naked with an arm draped over Mai on the same bed. That was when Holland first realized he might have done something terribly wrong, even if he didn't quite remember what he did.

"God, what happened last night?" Holland muttered to himself. He browsed around his seemingly foreign surroundings. He didn't remember anything other than winning this reward from hell. This didn't feel right.

"You're awake." Shannon emerged out of the bathroom, looking calm and composed as always. He walked over to the coffee machine. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Shannon, did anything happen between the two of us?" Holland asked.

"We slept on separate beds, thankfully." Shannon mused. He then poured himself a nice cup of coffee. "We shouldn't have drank that much. It wasn't very responsible of us."

"No, I'm talking about me and Mai!" Holland was starting to get a little aggravated. "Did we do anything…inappropriate!?"

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. It was the type that felt very guilty even though no accusatory words were spoken. Shannon didn't know how to respond, but he understood he had to tread this subject very carefully and very sensitively. Holland looked like he was on the verge of a furious rage.

"I don't know. I fell asleep early." Shannon admitted quietly. "I'm not responsible for your actions."

Shannon can tell that wasn't the answer Holland was looking for, but it was the truth no matter how unpleasant it might sound. Mai gave a steamy lap dance last night, that much he remembered. Whether anything else happened beyond that, the young swordsman felt like he didn't have the right to comment.

"You don't know how much this is killing me right now." Holland buried his head into his hands. "You've no idea how devastated I am. You can't even begin to imagine what's going through in my head…"

"We were all drunk," said Shannon, trying his best to console the troubled man.

"That's not a good justification. I'm a married man. I should've known better. I…I shouldn't have crossed the line with Mai." Holland cast a brief glance at the blonde, still sleeping cosily on the bed. He turned away with disgust. "This is so ridiculous! What would Talho think if she saw this!?"

"I think you should distance yourself from Mai." Shannon suggested.

"What?" Holland looked up with surprise.

"If she's the apple that tempts you, then you should stay away from the tree." Shannon clarified, "I think you should disassociate yourself from Mai completely. "

Holland didn't say anything, but deep down he knew Shannon was right. Mai Valentine was _toxic_. A married man like him shouldn't have anything to do with a promiscuous woman like her. He shouldn't have brought her on this reward in the first place. He should have taken someone with more self-control, like Meryl, or someone totally nonsexual, like Kari. But inviting Mai to this reward, as Holland now discovered, was like inviting the fox to the henhouse.

_**Holland:**_ _I can't remember what happened last night. No, this isn't a convenient excuse. I don't remember anything except the morning after. I…I seriously pray that I didn't do anything my family would be ashamed of, because I've a terrible feeling that…_

He let his thoughts hang there. It was too painful for him to continue down that train of thought. He was clearly reacting to what might or might not have happened in a very severe manner. Worst of all, Mai knew nothing about his feelings. He would never dare to confront her about this issue. Not only was it too awkward, but Holland was just too much of a coward to face his worst fears.

_**Holland:**_ _It was a disgraceful night, and I'm just trying my best to pretend that it never happened. I don't know what I was thinking then, but I'm surely regretting it now. Shannon is right – I should just stay away from her. I won't let anyone jeopardize my marriage. And the best way…the only way…to accomplish that is to vote Mai out of the game as soon as possible._

Just then, Mai's body began to stir on the bed. She was waking up. That prompted Holland to run into the bathroom and lock himself in there. He needed some time to think, and some space away from Mai. Feeling confused, she cast a confused glance at the bathroom door, then at Shannon. The swordsman then handed her a warm cup of coffee.

"Thank you." Mai muttered in a drowsy voice as she sipped on her drink. "So, what's up with Holland? He seems a bit down."

"I don't know what happened, but it's probably your fault." Shannon deadpanned. "Do you remember anything that happened last night?"

"Nope!" Mai exclaimed proudly. She turned to Shannon with a sheepish smile. "We did some wicked partying last night. Did you lose your virginity to me? No, I'm kidding! Kidding! Don't be so serious!"

"That's not very funny." Shannon shot her a disapproving look. If only she knew what Holland was feeling right now, she wouldn't find it funny either. But of course, Mai didn't remember anything that happened last night. Her conscience was clean as far as she was concerned.

"I liked you better when you weren't so mouthy." Mai stuck her tongue out at the swordsman. She turned her attention back to the bathroom door. "May be Holland isn't a morning person. I hope he feels better soon…"

- - -

While Holland more or less declared a cold war on Mai, Harley was preparing a secret war of his own. He had established a new alliance of five in the Sarutobi tribe, even though four clueless people didn't even know about its existence yet. Harley was determined this alliance would dominate for the rest of the game. They were _the_ alliance to beat. And at the moment, Harley gathered his entire alliance, sans Mai, around the campfire to discuss their next strategic move. Roy and Kari were conveniently absent due to their treemail hike.

"I guess this is our first meeting together. It's kind of exciting, isn't it?" Harley grinned at the three women around him. He had not intended to be the leader of this alliance, but he was the glue that held everyone together. After all, he managed to unify archenemies Meryl and Faye in the same team, which was quite the feat. "First and foremost, we need a name."

"Harley's Bitches!" Bulma exclaimed.

"No, I don't think Mai would like that name very much. I don't think _I_ like that name either." Meryl smiled faintly, shaking her head. She wanted no part of an alliance that referred to themselves as bitches. How degrading was that? "Why don't we just call ourselves The Vixens?"

"That works too. Whatever, it's just a name." Bulma shrugged her shoulders. "What I really want to know is our _target_. Who're we going to vote out first?"

"I think we should vote out Roy at the next tribal council," suggested Harley.

And almost immediately, he got a dirty glare from Faye. If looks could kill, Harley would already be dead by now. The bounty huntress didn't like the sounds of this plan whatsoever, just like he expected.

"You want us to vote him out?" Meryl sounded uncertain.

"Is there a problem?" Harley asked.

"Not exactly, but…" Meryl bit her lips. She didn't know if she should mention this to her only lifeline in the game. "But someone from Tsunade is going home, and that's not very reassuring to me."

Harley just wanted to tell her to shut up and follow the plan, but he managed to keep his cool. Meryl was a cautious person in nature, so she had a lot of doubts about this prospective alliance. She only knew Harley for a few days and she didn't know how much she can trust him. Right now, it didn't sound very promising that Roy was leaving instead of Shannon. Someone from Tsunade was still going home. That was like delaying the inevitable for three more days. The pecking order hadn't changed at all.

"If you vote for Roy this time, I promise you that someone from Jiraiya will go home the next time. I promise." Harley said in an earnest tone. This wasn't that much of a problem in his opinion. He wanted to get rid of Holland and Kari as soon as possible anyway. "Tsunade won't go down one by one, I promise."

"I feel bad voting for Roy, but…" Meryl took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Okay. I'll talk to Shannon about it. We'll vote for Roy tomorrow."

Harley smiled. He managed to convince Meryl to vote out Roy, which was the easy part. Mai and Bulma would go with whatever the majority says, so they won't cause any problems either. Now, how on earth will he be able to convince Faye to do the same?

"I have a question." Bulma raised her arm in the air. "Are we going to tell Holland and Kari about this or not? Kari is harmless, but I'm really worried that Holland will freak out if we betray him now."

"We don't need Holland's _permission_ to do anything." Harley said in a slightly annoyed tone. "We both know the core alliance that's running this game consists of us five. And Holland? He's a nobody."

_**Harley:**_ _For the longest time, Holland ran the alliance in Jiraiya and we all listened to him because that keeps the heat off us. But he isn't in charge of the show anymore. I don't think he had that much power to begin with. Sure, he bosses people around and barks out orders, but Holland is nothing more than a figurehead. Someone who thinks he's important, but he really isn't. He's like one of those old grandfather clocks that you keep around for sentimental value._

The Pokemon Coordinator was grinning at the camera like a little boy in a candy store.

_**Harley:**_ _There comes a time when you have to stop riding on coattails and start playing the game, which is exactly what I'm doing right now. You don't want to emerge too strong too early, otherwise you risk a big downfall. Yeah, I'm running a really ambitious alliance, but I believe everything will work out in my favour. These are my girls. And they're not going to let me down._

"That said, we should let Holland know we're voting out Roy. Let him feel included for one more vote. If he doesn't think he's in danger, he won't do anything stupid." Harley continued, waving his hands in an animated manner as he talked. "We'll just have an easier time as an alliance, don't you agree?"

"What about Kari?" Meryl asked.

"Kari is powerless. She can't do _shit_ in this game!" Harley laughed in dismissal. "But we'll tell her anyway. Or Holland will. We should keep up the illusion that he's in charge."

"I'm just worried because Holland _really_ wants to vote out Shannon. You know how stubborn that man can be once he makes up his mind on something." Bulma shrugged her shoulders. "It'll take one smooth operator to talk him into our plan."

"Lucky for you girls, my mouth is made of sugar, spice, and everything nice! I can sweet-talk that man to do anything for us!" Harley flashed a very cheesy grin at the three women. He wasn't actually that serious, although he did believe in what he was saying. "It can't be that hard to convince him to vote out Roy instead of Shannon."

"No, you'll scare him away. Let me talk to Holland." Faye volunteered, much to Harley's surprise. "I don't mind. He doesn't scare me."

"Are you sure? Don't you have a problem that we're voting…" Harley was interrupted halfway into his sentence by the bounty huntress.

"I'll do what's best for our alliance," Faye cut him off.

"But don't you feel sad that…"

"I'll take one for the team."

_Well, that was easy. _Harley sighed in relief. He thought his friend might put up a difficult fight to get her way, but she seemed to have given up on protecting her _Survivor_ boyfriend. Perhaps she had seen the light. Perhaps she finally understood following this alliance was the best move for all of them.

"They're coming back." Bulma whispered, subtly gesturing her hand to her left. Roy and Kari were emerging out of the forest with the treemail.

"Hush everyone! Act natural!" Harley panicked.

"Hey, is he carrying…a bunch of flowers?" Meryl squinted at the two distant figures. Roy seemed to be carrying several crimson red roses in his hands. Walking beside him, a smiling Kari was holding up a single rose.

"Oh god, what is wrong with that guy?" Faye muttered under her breath. Despite her words, she was grinning from ear to ear. It was easy to see that she was impressed. "Why are you making it so hard to vote you out?"

"Hello, hello. I brought everyone something special today!" Roy shouted as he and Kari drew closer to the group. All four of them smiled their most congenial smiles, acting like innocent tribe members who were certainly _not_ scheming and plotting moments ago.

"I see that Prince Charming has arrived from his castle." Bulma said jokingly.

"Where did you find those roses? They're so pretty!" Meryl squealed.

"I happen to stumble upon a lovely rosebush in the forest, and I immediately thought of you ladies back at camp." Roy explained, "Here is a rose for each of you."

He gave each woman a red rose, making them blush or laugh or a combination of the two. And Harley received one too, who accepted his gift with a gracious and good-humoured smile. Everyone was pleased with their presents. Even Faye, ice queen extraordinaire, was visibly touched by this romantic gesture. She thanked Roy with a hug, perhaps holding the colonel in her arms for a little longer than she intended to.

"You…you really know how to please a group of women, don't you?" Meryl beamed at the rose she was holding in her hands. "This is a really nice gesture, Roy. Thank you."

"Yeah, you're such a nice guy!" Kari chimed in. At her age, she wasn't used to receiving romantic presents like these, but even she could appreciate what he had given her.

"Ah, it was nothing. I want to make it up to you ladies after I screwed up dinner last night." Roy waved his hand in dismissal.

"My husband _never_ gives me flowers, so this is quite the pleasant surprise." Bulma grinned toothily. "I want to get a divorce and marry you right now, Roy Mustang! You're so cute!"

Roy felt reasonably satisfied with himself after witnessing the delightful reactions from the women. Yet, as thoughtful as his gesture was, there was one person immune from his charms. Harley stared at his rose, uncertain whether he should be laughing or not. He cannot believe how cheesy this man was. Even worse, he cannot believe how all of the women were falling for his shtick. Especially Faye, who almost seemed head over heels about Roy at this point.

_**Harley:**_ _All the girls are practically in love with Roy. He brings them flowers, he makes them laugh, he flatters them with compliments…he's a very smooth operator. It's almost like he's dating five women at once, that's how ridiculous it is! Don't get me wrong, I like Roy too, but I don't want to line up and have his babies, you know?_

He chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.

_**Harley:**_ _I'm very worried about Roy. Believe it or not, we're playing a very similar game. All the girls he's flirting with are my allies, so his actions conflict with mine. How can I have an alliance if everyone has already fallen under his spell? Roy thinks he can get through this game by charming all the women. Well, I think he's about to meet his match._

- - -

It was around noon when the reward winners returned to camp. Although they were away for a short period of time, so much can happen in less than twenty four hours that it was always important to stay informed. As soon as the trio made their arrivals, the players began to pair off in separate locations for gossip and updates on the latest developments.

Roy went to Holland, so he can try cutting another deal with the Jiraiya leader.

Harley paired off with Mai, so he can inform her that they were voting out Roy.

And Meryl made an instant beeline for Shannon, so she can share the good news with her dear friend.

As the two took a long walk in the forest, Meryl explained everything she knew to Shannon. She told him about Harley's new alliance. She told him about the deal that kept him safe from the next vote. She told him about Roy as the new target. And she told him about Harley's promise that someone from Jiraiya will leave before them. Shannon listened attentively throughout, never commenting even at the most surprising news. He waited until Meryl finished the whole explanation before he voiced his two cents.

"I don't think it's happening." Shannon said in a very quiet voice. "I think they're lying to you and getting your hopes up, but I still think Tsunade is getting voted off one by one, starting with me."

"But Harley promised me over and over again that he won't vote you out next," argued Meryl.

"That alliance is full of people who are spineless and will flip on you in a heartbeat. You can't trust them, Meryl. You can't believe a single word they're saying," said Shannon.

Meryl bit her lips, looking a little disappointed although she was trying hard to suppress her emotions. She thought he would be as excited as she was, since they were both being saved at tribal council. This was supposed to be good news, a joyous occasion, and a cause for them to celebrate. Instead, he acted like a gloomy grey cloud and totally rained on her parade.

"I'm just being realistic." Shannon added, after he had noticed the shift in Meryl's previously enthusiastic expression. "I can't help that I'm a cynical bastard."

"No, I know what you mean. I've thought about these possibilities too. They could be lying to me." Meryl frowned as she nodded her head. "Still, I really want to believe it's true. I want to believe that you'll survive the next tribal council, because I…I don't want you to go."

"What happens will happen. We're not in power. We can't do anything about it," said Shannon.

"Yeah…" Meryl nodded her head again.

"I also don't appreciate how you put words into my mouth. I never promised that I'll vote out Roy." Shannon continued, "I will do it this time because you already confirmed with Harley. But I'm asking you to respect me and not do it again in the future."

"I'm sorry," muttered Meryl.

The two of them walked in silence for a while. Occasionally, Shannon would glance at Meryl, who had her head down and a worried frown etched on her face. And she looked so delighted just five minutes ago. It amazed him how quickly this woman can go from one emotion to the next. She really did wear her heart on her sleeves.

"I made you upset, didn't I?" Shannon asked.

"Well, you can be a bit of a killjoy at times, yeah…" Meryl smiled weakly.

"Let me cheer you up." Shannon grabbed her hand all of a sudden, making the petite insurance agent blush with surprise. "I'm going to take you to a special place."

_**Meryl:**_ _I understand that it's very likely Shannon will go home next. I think he almost anticipates it to happen. I just hope, with my fingers crossed, that Harley will keep his promise. They can take everything away from me, but they can't take away my one glimmer of hope._

Shannon remembered standing in the same spot, under the same tree, near the same waterfall two weeks ago. Orihime had suggested the two of them build a time capsule that they'll uncover on the final day of the game. Now, here he stood with Orihime's best friend, Meryl, and the two of them were about to dig up the past. This seemed like the most appropriate time to take out the time capsule, since Shannon assumed he would be leaving tomorrow night.

"So, what did you think she buried underground?" Meryl asked with a tiny smile. "May be an 'I love you' note to her dear Onee-chan?"

"Why can't a guy and a girl just be friends on a platonic level?" Shannon grumbled.

"Well, it's a shame you feel this way. She told me once that she had a small crush on you." Meryl said in a seemingly nonchalant manner.

Shannon ignored her playful teasing and continued to dig up the time capsule. After a few minutes, he managed to uncover the sacred items. It was wrapped around one of Orihime's pink t-shirts, just as he had remembered it. He took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, and then began unfolding the shirt. There were the medicinal leaves that he had oh-so-predictably put in the capsule. And then, there was Orihime's item: a tiny pink bandage with a small blood stain on it. Shannon laughed out loud, much to Meryl's surprise.

"Um, what is this?" Meryl asked, unclear about the significance behind a simple bandage.

"Do you remember that I cut my hand on the first day? This was the same bandage that Orihime gave me." Shannon was wearing one of his very rare smiles. "I thought I threw it away on the second day. I can't believe she kept it all this time."

"Wow. She has always been such a thoughtful girl." Meryl eyed the bandage in Shannon's hands. "So, what're you going to do with it?"

"I'm keeping it as a good luck charm," replied Shannon, who carefully placed the pink bandage into his pocket.

"Do you want me to pretend I'm Orihime so you can relive the moment?" Meryl smiled slyly. She then spoke in a high-pitched voice in order to imitate Orihime. "Onee-chan, you're hurt! Let me caress your hand in a borderline affectionate manner!"

"You really like taunting me, don't you?" Shannon narrowed his eyes at his companion, not looking too amused.

"Hey, you're like a brother to me! Get used to it!" Meryl grinned, flashing a thumbs-up gesture. "Besides, you took me here to cheer me up, didn't you?"

"Well, are you happy now?" Shannon asked.

"Yes. Very." Meryl nodded her head, still grinning. "This was a super sweet gesture. You know exactly how to make me smile."

_**Shannon:**_ _I'm really glad I dug up the time capsule, because that was the one thing constantly on my mind. I was worried I wouldn't have the chance to fulfill Orihime's wish. Now, I can exit this game without any regrets. I've already established the mindset that I'll get voted out tomorrow night. I'm not going to cling onto a false hope that Harley or Faye will save me. I know too well that you can't depend on anyone in this game._

He took a deep breath before continuing with his confessional.

_**Shannon:**_ _The only thing I can depend on is immunity. I don't know what are the chances of me winning it again, but I'm going to try my best. I don't think Holland will be that generous anymore. If I want to stay in this game, I'll have to earn it by myself._

It was almost time for the immunity challenge, so the two of them began heading back to camp. Meryl, perhaps still a little giddy after unveiling the time capsule, was in a particularly talkative mood today. She didn't have anything interesting to say, but she kept talking about whatever sprang up to mind. After all, this could potentially be Shannon's second-to-last day left in the game, so she wanted to cherish every moment she had with her friend.

"Shannon, do you believe in guardian angels?" Meryl asked out of the blue.

The swordsman shook his head. He didn't understand this woman at all. One minute ago, she was talking about her best friend Millie. Now, she had moved on to a completely unrelated topic. He wasn't sure if it was even possible to follow her random train of thoughts.

"My definition of a guardian angel is someone who has your back at your most vulnerable time." Meryl explained, "The angel will reach out to you when you're at your lowest low. Just like how you helped comfort me when Orihime got voted out. That was the moment I knew _you_ were my guardian angel."

"How can I be your guardian angel? I can't even save myself." Shannon muttered.

"That's okay. _Your_ angel will save you when the time comes. That's why I don't think you'll get voted out." Meryl smiled at the swordsman. "Call me naïve, but I think you will be saved."

- - -

The concept of guardian angels was ridiculous and childlike in Shannon's honest opinion. He didn't believe in them, nor did he believe he needed to be saved. However, it stuck to his brain for some reason. They were the only things he can think about for the rest of the day. As he arrived at the immunity challenge, he was beginning to have a change of heart. And as he reluctantly returned the immunity headband to Iruka, he sure hoped there was a guardian angel looking out for him.

"Immunity is back up for grabs!" Iruka declared. "Today, you'll be competing in an endurance challenge…with a twist."

"There's always a twist," said Roy.

The immunity challenge tested their endurance by requiring the players to walk _constantly_ without stop. They were to walk along a designated path through the thick bushes and over the steep slopes. The entire course around the forest was circular, so the ending point was the same place as their start. This is also known as the 'pit stop'. It is there they will meet up with Iruka, who will keep tally of their standings.

Every time a player crosses the pit stop, it will count as a lap. All the players are required to finish one lap every five minutes. Otherwise, they're eliminated from the challenge. Players can also be eliminated if they take shortcuts or do not follow the original course. At any time, they can eliminate themselves if they no longer want to participate in the challenge.

Players can accumulate laps over time (for example, they can finish three laps in ten minutes, although the requirement is only two laps). They may also choose to run instead of walk, but players are advised to conserve their energy as this is an endurance challenge. There is no set end to when this challenge. A victor will be determined by whoever is the last person _walking_.

"Survivors ready?" Iruka eyed the nine castaways at the starting line. "Walk!"

As expected, Shannon took an early lead in the challenge. He was the tallest castaway with the longest leg, so naturally the steps he took were larger than anyone else. Roy was right behind the swordsman, while Faye proved she can walk just as fast as the boys. The same cannot be said about the tiny Kari or the petite Meryl, although they weren't struggling so to speak. They were only _walking_ after all. How difficult can _walking_ be?

The course itself was not too long or challenging despite a few minor obstacles along the way. A healthy, well-fed person can probably finish a lap in three minutes or less. Shannon completed his first lap in a little over two minutes, as did Roy. Holland soon crossed the pit stop as well. Faye fell to fourth place after a struggle with a particularly rocky hill. Bulma looked comfortable with fifth place, taking a slow and steady approach unlike the other players. Meryl and Kari lagged behind, but they still managed to finish their first laps in less than four minutes.

Fourteen minutes passed by until the challenge claimed their first casualty – Faye Valentine, who opted to quit right after she completed her third lap. She knew she was safe from tribal council anyway. There was no need to stress her body and win an immunity she didn't need.

"I'm done." Faye said, voluntarily sitting down beside Iruka at the pit stop. "This challenge can go on for hours. I'm already tired."

_You wouldn't have quit so easily if your butt was on the line. _Meryl glared irritably at the bounty huntress.

A few minutes later, Harley dropped out for the same reasons as Faye.

Half an hour since the challenge started, several players were on their seventh and eighth laps, but Mai Valentine was struggling to finish her sixth. The blonde had not been feeling well ever since that terrible handover this morning. Plus, she took a one or two minute break earlier, which was precious time she never managed to recover. When the thirty minutes came by, Mai failed to finish her sixth mandatory trip to the pit stop As a result, she was out of the challenge.

Ten minutes later, Kari was also eliminated for falling behind. She was unable to walk eight laps in the allotted time, and thus, she was out.

"Only five players remain! You're reaching your forty five minute mark! Keep it up!" Iruka shouted.

At the exact moment, Meryl was dragging her tired feet to the pit stop. She was about to finish her ninth lap in the race and narrowly escape a time limit elimination.

"How're you coping, Meryl?" Iruka asked.

"Not good. I'm sweaty, I'm thirsty, but I'm not going to give up." Meryl smiled weakly at the host.

In all honesty, she knew she was the underdog in this challenge. She had almost no shot of winning against the others, who were comfortably ahead as of now. She already escaped the past few eliminations in the nick of time. It was a wonder that she lasted in the challenge for as long as she did.

Shortly after, Bulma arrived at the pit stop, completing her _tenth_ lap in the race. The elderly inventor showed no signs of fatigue yet, despite walking non-stop for the past forty five minutes. In fact, she looked like she could continue this race for hours. Clearly, her slow and steady approach at the beginning worked out in her favour. She was doing surprisingly well for someone her age.

"Bulma, how're you coping so far?" Iruka asked the same question to the inventor.

"Relieved! I'm glad you guys finally designed a challenge I'm good at!" Bulma grinned.

"Why? Do you do a lot of marathons?" Iruka looked surprised.

"No, I do a lot of shopping." Bulma joked.

Meryl, who was walking in front of the inventor, let out a tiny laugh. She couldn't help it, even though she scolded herself for losing focus. It was just that Bulma can be so funny sometimes with her cheeky sense of humour. She had an exceptionally sharp wit and a hilarious comeback for every remark. In many ways, she was known as the _comedian_ of the tribe. Yes, her mouth can get a bit too smart for its own good, but that was also why everyone in Sarutobi got along with her. Meryl was no exception. She might only know Bulma for a few days, but she was already her _favourite_ person from Jiraiya.

The persistent insurance agent went on to survive past the one hour mark. However, her legs gave up on her shortly after. She just couldn't command her exhausted body to move any faster. Unable to complete her fourteenth lap on time, Meryl became yet another casualty of the challenge.

As Meryl joined the other losers at the pit stop, she recognized her worst fear: Roy had surpassed Shannon in the race. The swordsman wasn't too far behind, but this was a clear indicator that he had slowed down since the start. Roy was currently leading the challenge. If he kept this consistency up, he'd be the likeliest winner.

And if Roy won immunity today, Meryl had no doubt that shit will hit the fans.

- - -

Holland Novak was eliminated after one hour and thirty five minutes of walking. He failed to complete the mandatory nineteenth lap on time.

He felt disappointed and a bit ashamed that he got outlasted by the likes of Bulma in an endurance challenge. Even as he walked over to the pit stop, he couldn't believe how well she had fared against the best athletes in this game. Roy and Shannon were slightly ahead of her, but neither showed the amount of stamina and energy Bulma displayed in her appearance. The two men were running out of steam, while Bulma looked like she could continue walking for an eternity.

Suddenly, someone who didn't look that threatening at first was becoming a serious contender in this challenge.

"One hundred and fifty minutes later, Bulma is still in the race!" Iruka declared, sounding a bit astonished in his tone of voice. "She is competing against Roy and Shannon, currently tied neck-to-neck for first place!"

"People in this game are constantly underestimating me." Bulma grinned.

While Bulma aimed to be the dark horse of this challenge, Shannon was just looking forward to the end. He might have started strong, but he was feeling weaker with every step. There were so many times he just wanted to quit walking and sit out like everybody else. But he knew he needed to win this immunity. His fate in this game depended on it.

At the two hours mark, all three walkers were still in the race. They had each completed twenty four laps on this gruelling course. Unsurprisingly, it grew more and more difficult to finish a lap on time. The course was the same as before, but their bodies felt so exhausted by now. It wasn't just the fatigue affecting them either, but the immense heat and the dire dehydration played important factors as well.

Roy was starting to lose it both physically and mentally. He had fallen behind and lost his earlier lead to Shannon. Even worse, Bulma was a few feet away from passing him as well. The colonel could feel his body slowly collapsing. He just didn't believe he could move any longer.

Five minutes later, Roy just narrowly avoided elimination by finishing his twenty fifth lap with seconds to spare. His troubles didn't end here, because he had less than five minutes to finish his next lap. He was now dead last in the race, not to mention he was on the verge of constant elimination.

Another five minutes later, Roy once again avoided elimination by a hair. He had to literally run to the pit stop in his final seconds, just so he can remain in the race.

Five more minutes passed, and inevitably, Roy was eliminated from the challenge.

And then, there were two.

Shannon continued to march forward, struggling with every step. Despite his best efforts to concentrate, he knew he was losing willpower as each minute pass by. His feet were aching. His head was throbbing. His mind was collapsing. Yet, he kept on marching forward. If he stopped walking, he knew he'd lose this game.

_How is she doing this?_ Shannon thought to himself, looking back a few times to check out his other competitor. He, like the rest of the players, was in awe that the fifty-years-old Bulma was still in the race. Even the usual athletes, Roy and Holland, had fallen down by now, but this feisty woman hung in there like a true trooper. Shannon regretted ever underestimating Bulma as a competitor. He had gained a tremendous amount of respect for her.

_I have to keep going._

_I need to win this._

_I must keep walking._

As he walked, Shannon constantly uttered these three lines under his breath. He even decided not to look back at Bulma so he won't feel discouraged about his chances. He just wanted to mind his own business and win this challenge. That was all he wanted to do. And it wasn't until ten minutes later that he finally got his wish.

Bulma broke down. Despite her bravado, she was unable to maintain her composure anymore. She reached her breaking point. She wasn't made out of steel. And she can't continue this walk any longer.

"I'm quitting. I think I proved my point." Bulma said, collapsing onto her knees. She sounded like she was totally out of breath. To her surprise, all the players at the pit stop gave her a thunderous round of applause for her tremendous effort.

"You go, girl!" Mai yelled out.

"It's okay! We're all so proud of you!" Harley chimed in.

"I don't want to be perceived as a physical threat." Bulma grinned at them.

"After two hours and twenty seven minutes, Shannon wins immunity!" Iruka shouted through the noise. The players were not just clapping for Bulma as the runner-up, but they were also celebrating Shannon's victory. "Again!"

Upon hearing this announcement, the only reaction Shannon can muster was a quiet smile and a sigh of relief. He can finally stop walking now. He was saved. No, that wasn't true. He wasn't saved at all. There was no guardian angel that flew down from heaven and gave him this win. Shannon earned this victory fair and square. He earned it all by himself.

In retrospect, winning this immunity did not affect his position in the game all that much. He was still in the minority. He was still the next likely target at tribal council. He was still fighting against impossible odds. Nothing had essentially changed. However, today's challenge proved that sheer willpower can carry him a long way in this game. He might be an outsider, but it didn't stop him from being a _survivor_.

- - -

**DAY 24**

Looking up at the cloudy morning sky, Roy wondered if this was the first sign of a heavy rainstorm later today. There was already a light drizzle last night that put out their campfire, so he didn't know if it was wise to light a new one or not. The camp was wet and humid, which made it difficult to spark a flame even with the appropriate resources. Besides, it almost seemed pointless to start a fire that will be extinguished hours later. Roy looked up at the sky again. He hoped it won't rain until tomorrow. He felt very powerless in the rain.

"What a shitty day, huh?" Faye said, also staring up at the sky. She was sitting next to him on the log. "Konoha is a shithole. I can't believe we still have to live here for a few more weeks."

"You sound tense this morning." Roy turned to face his female companion, who refused to meet his gaze.

"Tribal council blues," muttered Faye.

Roy nodded his head in comprehension. She needn't elaborate any further. Faye didn't say the exact words out loud, but he can sense the message from the gloomy tone of her voice. In a way, she was giving him an implicit signal about what to expect from the vote tonight. The two of them always had a mutual understanding that they'd watch out for each other's backs in the game. Even if they can't influence the final decision, they'd at least inform the other person about their impending doom.

"Have you talked to Holland yesterday?" Faye asked, while Roy nodded his head as a response. "What did he say?"

"He wouldn't make a commitment. He was afraid Shannon might win immunity again," said Roy.

"And he was right." Faye mumbled bitterly.

The bounty huntress did not disguise the fact she was annoyed about the outcome. She hated knowing that Roy was going home tonight and there was nothing she can do about it. Yes, she can understand the strategy behind such a decision, but it didn't mean she had to _like_ it. Despite the sensible logic, Faye felt angry that one of the few people she genuinely liked was leaving, while eye sores like Meryl and Shannon were still here to make her life miserable. It just didn't seem fair.

"How are your legs?" Roy asked, changing the subject.

"Awful. Those damn bugs keep devouring me, night after night." Faye made a disgusted face. To demonstrate her point, she slowly ran her hands down her blistered legs, which were covered with dozens of brownish pink bug bites, from her thighs all the way down to her ankles.

"You used to have such lovely legs too," lamented Roy.

"I found a particularly nasty insect living inside my skin a few days ago." Faye added, causing the colonel to shift his expression. "I don't think I can wear shorts for the rest of my life."

"Hey, it can't be that bad. Let me take a look." Roy bent over so he can take a closer examination of her legs. "Yikes! Someone needs to get a shave."

He then looked up at his companion with a mischievous grin, prompting Faye to punch him playfully in the shoulder.

"I'm suffering in real agony here, you jerk! How dare you make fun of me!?" Faye exclaimed, half-laughingly. She shook her head a few times and feigned outrage. "You're so _bad_!"

"That's why you love me." Roy grinned.

"Unfortunately…" Faye murmured, averting her gaze elsewhere.

_**Roy:**_ _Shannon won immunity once again, which means I'm about to be Zolo'd out of the game. Although I tried my best to befriend the enemies so to speak, they still don't want anything to do with me. My only crime is that I was on the wrong tribe at the beginning of the game. So yeah, I think my impending elimination isn't fair at all, but that's life. I'm not going to complain about it._

A pensive expression crossed the colonel's face.

_**Roy:**_ _Besides, I'm not out of options yet. I still have one trump card in my pocket. No, I'm not going to campaign my ass off in the last minute. I'm not a desperate player like Zolo. Sometimes, less is simply more. I just need to give a subtle push in the right direction, and my pawns will do all the dirty work for me._

If only Faye could hear what this man was saying behind her back, she wouldn't have agonized over this decision right now. Because whether the bounty huntress would admit it or not, she did develop genuine feelings for Roy. He not only showered her with attention, but he was caring and affectionate in a way like no man had treated her before. So, it killed her – absolutely killed her – to know that she must write down his name tonight. She didn't want Roy to go. She wanted him to stay in this game _so_ badly.

"Are you going to miss me?" Roy asked.

"I'll live without you." Faye tried her best to reply in a nonchalant way, but that lonely look in her eyes betrayed her. Roy could sense her vulnerability and knew how to capitalize on it.

"Well, I'm going to take a walk." Roy stood up. Then, in a very calculated move, he took off his jacket and gently draped it over Faye's shoulders. When she first felt his touch, her heart melted a little inside. "It's chilly this morning. I don't want you to catch a cold."

Her cheeks flushed with colour and her chest tightened under his glance. She felt so silly to hear her heart pound at the mere sight of a man. What was this feeling inside of her that made her anxious and elated at the same time? It must be love, but no, no, no, Faye fought hard to deny her insensible desires and foolish impulses. She had always been the seductress, never the seduced. It was preposterous to think she was in love with this sarcastic, arrogant, and frustratingly handsome man. May be she was on her period, because what else could explain this irrational behaviour?

But as he took the first step away from her, Faye's instincts acted without her command. She shot her arm out and grabbed onto his hand.

That was the moment Roy Mustang knew he had been saved.

"Don't go." Faye mumbled unintelligibly.

"It's just a short walk. I'll come back soon," said Roy.

"Don't go." Faye repeated with a bit more aggressiveness in her voice this time. "I'm not going to let you go tonight. You can count on me. Don't do anything stupid in the meantime. I'll take care of everything."

Roy managed to suppress his smug smile long enough to put on a look of absolute gratefulness in his face. He knew he had Faye wrapped nicely in his hands. Now, all he had to do was direct his puppet to dance the way he commanded.

"It's too risky. You'll put an unnecessary target on yourself." Roy whispered.

"I'm a gambler." Faye scoffed in dismissal. As if a little risk will hold her back from what she was about to do. "If you don't risk anything, you risk even more."

"But will they listen to you?" Roy asked.

"I've more influence over my alliance than you think." Faye smirked, still clutching onto his hand like she never wanted to let him go. "I'll change their minds. Just watch me."

Whatever Roy said afterwards was irrelevant, because Faye was already more than convinced about what she needed to do tonight. She will take charge and fight for what she believed in. No, it won't be a popular decision with her alliance, but it was something that must be accomplished for her own selfish reasons. Faye will not rest until she persuaded all of them to follow her way.

Off she went.

To save Roy's life.

While he just sat back and watched her do all the work.

- - -

Holland had made peace over the fact that Roy will be voted out tonight. It wouldn't be his first choice, but c'est la vie. This move made the most sense strategically since a threat was leaving nonetheless. So, he issued the word out to his alliance, unaware that Harley and his posse made the same decision two days ago. Holland was playing right into their hands, although they made sure to act like it was his idea all along.

Faye had no intentions of making Holland a wiser man, but she wasn't beneath spinning a few half-truths in her favour. Instead of approaching her alliance to save Roy, she thought it would be smarter to swing the Jiraiya leader on her side first. He might be just a figurehead in the grand scheme of things, but he still carried a certain amount of authority around camp. It won't hurt to have his support.

"I was thinking Roy…" Holland began, but he was cut off by Faye because that wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"Roy is staying." Faye pulled the leader aside for a private chat in the forest. "Let's vote out one of the Tsunade chicks instead. Mai or Meryl. Either one can go."

"But Meryl isn't a threat…"

"She has connections with Mai and Shannon…"

"Let me talk!" Holland exclaimed. He wasn't used to being interrupted in the middle of his sentences. "Look, there's no reason to vote out Meryl right now. But I can do Mai. I'll definitely consider her."

Faye was startled. Her original target was Meryl – she was the easiest to campaign against – but she never expected Holland to turn against Mai this easily. She had assumed the two of them were pretty close. So, hearing this opened an entire new road for the bounty huntress, and she wasn't afraid to explore her options.

"Harley will flip out over this." Faye smirked, shaking her head several times. "We'll never get his vote."

"Take him out of the picture for a second. We have you, me, and Roy. That's three votes right there." Holland held up three fingers in his right hand. "Add Kari to the list. She'll vote with us for sure. And then there's Bulma, who goes with whatever the majority says…"

"No." Faye cut him off. She didn't trust that woman in a position of power. Bulma was the last person they should depend upon for a vote.

"Then we'll have to sway either Meryl or Shannon to our side," said Holland.

"Yeah, good luck with that." Faye scoffed.

"You're the one who wants to keep Roy here." Holland shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just offering you suggestions."

Faye remained silent for a long while before she finally looked up at Holland again. Just from that fierce look in her eyes, he can tell she had a new plan in mind. She was about to turn the tables against him.

"I'll talk to Meryl. I'll convince her to vote out Mai." Faye said cautiously, "But if it doesn't work out, you have to promise me you'll vote out Meryl instead. That's my final offer. Are you in or not?"

She didn't need to wait for a response. Time waited for nobody. Holland was always a very decisive person. He shook hands with Faye to confirm their deal as rock solid. He was an honest man. He wasn't the type who would break his word, or worse, his honour on a handshake. It was a notable and noble trait on his part, but it was also a vulnerable flaw for Faye to exploit at the perfect opportunity.

"I've one condition." Holland grumbled. Oh, how he wished he never took Mai on that reward from hell. Things would have been far less complicated if they just remained friends. "I need you to make a commitment to me. I'm not agreeing to this without a definite guarantee."

"Always the businessman, huh?" Faye smirked defiantly at the Jiraiya leader. "Final Two sounds good enough for you?"

They shook hands again.

Just like that, an end game deal was created in a hasty and almost impulsive fashion. Faye didn't fret too much about it; she wasn't going to honour this handshake anyway. She knew this, and Holland suspected it as well. He didn't get his hopes up, that's for sure. He just wanted something accountable to hold against Faye, like a bargaining chip or a piece of collateral, in case a crisis arises in the future.

He was always such a businessman.

"You know, this could have been a unanimous vote against Roy if you haven't intervened." Holland said, flashing a thin, veiled smile at the bounty huntress. "This could have been a straight forward tribal council until you messed it up."

"I know." Faye shrugged her shoulders. She flashed a tiny wink at the camera. "But where's the fun in that?"

_**Faye:**_ _Call me a selfish bitch if you want, but I'm not playing this game to make Harley happy. Mai and Meryl are his allies, not mine. They won't look out for me down the line, unlike Roy. So, it won't benefit me at all if he leaves tonight. So, I've decided to go against my alliance by keeping him around for a few more days. Being in an alliance is pointless if the decisions made aren't helping my position in this game._

Aside from these reasonable excuses, she conveniently left out the part about how much she enjoyed Roy's company everyday, which was what really motivated her to save him in the first place.

_**Faye:**__ Harley won't be a happy camper once he finds out what I'm planning to do, but he can't stop me by then. I've everything set for tonight. Mai's ass is so out of here!_

Imagine Faye's surprise when Meryl said no.

"I'm sorry, but I can't vote against Mai." Meryl sounded confused. Faye didn't give her a clear explanation other than the fact that they were changing targets at the last minute. "I thought we were in an alliance together. What happened to voting out Roy?"

_Ugh._ Faye tried her best to conceal her grimace. Her patience was already running thin, even though they had only been talking for thirty seconds. This was why she hated to speak to Meryl about strategy, or about anything at all. The dense woman just didn't get it most of the time. She was too ethical. She was too honourable. She was too loyal to her friends who would backstab her in a second.

Meryl Stryfe just wasn't made to play _Survivor_.

"We changed our minds. We replaced Roy in our alliance instead of Mai." Faye lied outrageously, and Meryl caught on right away.

"I find that a little hard to believe." Mai narrowed her eyes at the bounty huntress, who looked away. "Why are you telling me this just now? Where's Harley? Does he know what you're doing?"

"You ask too many questions. Vote for Mai and you'll be fine!" Faye said through gritted teeth.

"I know you're lying to me." Meryl shot the fatal words. "I don't understand why you're lying, but I'm not going to vote out Mai tonight. She's a good friend of mine. And I don't like betraying my friends."

Faye shook her head and rolled her eyes. It was like talking to a brick wall. This was impossible. She felt stupid for ever believing this plan was going to work seamlessly.

"Forget it. You're an idiot." Faye muttered under her breath.

"What's going on, Faye? I want an explanation!" Meryl shouted in frustration. She can sense somewhat was wrong. She hated feeling like she was always clueless about the bigger picture. "Are you still voting with us tonight? That hasn't changed, right!?"

"Idiot." Faye repeated again, sounding even more annoyed this time. Then, without replying to Meryl's question, the bounty huntress walked away with yet another new plan.

- - -

Meryl felt suspicious after that brief encounter with Faye, but she didn't investigate on the matter any further. She wanted to avoid coming across as too paranoid and needy to her new alliance members. They already seemed displeased when she implemented Shannon into their carefully weaved plans. She didn't want to be seen as any more of a nuisance.

Unfortunately, she should have been fighting for her life right now.

Because her name had now been thrown on the chopping block.

"Change of plans, everyone." Holland announced to his alliance of six at the shelter, literally a minute before they were set to go to tribal council. "We're voting out Meryl tonight."

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-what!?" Harley gasped in shock.

"This is a joke, right? Ha ha, very funny?" Bulma dropped her jaw open with equal astonishment.

"I'm always serious," grunted Holland.

"Your timing is perfect by the way." Bulma snapped sarcastically. "We've thirty seconds until tribal council and you drop the biggest bombshell on us. Gee, what are you going to do next time? Tap us on the shoulder right before we get to the vote?"

Ignoring Bulma, the Jiraiya leader went on to explain his list of reasons for voting Meryl out. But Harley wasn't listening to him. Instead, he fixed his attention onto Faye, who looked far too relaxed right now to be without blame.

_What have you told him!?_ Harley shot an angry glare at his friend. He knew she was behind all of this. Up until this critical moment, Holland had been gung ho about voting Roy out.

Faye didn't return his gaze. She wouldn't look at him straight in the eyes.

"I trust that nobody has a problem with this?" Holland eyed his alliance members expectantly.

Kari was the first to reply back, telling everyone that she didn't care if they voted for Meryl instead of Roy. She was loyal to the Jiraiya alliance and blah, blah, blah. But she might as well have saved her breath and said nothing at all, since she was such a non-entity in this alliance anyway. The petite DigiDestined didn't have a voice in the decision making. She was just a useful vote.

Bulma soon echoed the sentiments, like an overenthusiastic parrot that was trying to desperately return to its master. She didn't have a strong opinion on whether Meryl or Roy should go tonight. She just wanted to vote with the majority and avoid any unnecessary attention.

Faye also nodded her head, not adding much other than a few meaningless words that had already been said by Kari and Bulma. That didn't affect her that much. She wasn't the one who made an alliance with Meryl. And she was never going to receive a jury vote from her arch enemy anyway. _So what?_

And very reluctantly, Harley was forced to agree with everyone else. Even though he had a million objections flashing across his mind right now, he didn't dare to make a big scene in front of the unsuspecting Holland. Faye had planned this perfectly. She found a way to avoid a major backlash from her alliance by including a few 'outsiders' into the mix. No matter how furious Harley was at the moment, he must play along for the sake of keeping up appearances.

"I disagree. I think we should vote for Roy tonight."

Then came the lone voice of protest, from none other than the always bold and the always rebellious Mai Valentine.

"You're saying this because Meryl is your friend. You don't want her to go," said Faye.

"I will vote out Meryl when it's necessary." Mai clarified. "But I don't think this is the right time yet."

"Well, it's five against one, so…" Faye let her sentence hang there for a while to make her point. "Do what you want, Mai. This could be a nice test of your loyalty, don't you think?"

Mai shot the bounty huntress a very nasty glare.

God, she hated that woman so much.

_**Mai: **__It's official. Faye Valentine is pissing me off. I thought it was so selfish of her to make such an important decision without our input. We decided that Roy will go tonight long, long ago. She has an epiphany all of a sudden, so we all have to change our game plans just for her!? How inconsiderate is that!? _

She shook her head a few times in disbelief.

_**Mai: **__I knew I might have to vote out Meryl at some stage of the game, but I never thought it would come so early. Too early. I don't think I'm ready for it. The past few days have been rocky for us, but just when we found a way to be in the same alliance together…this, this crap happens! What the hell, man! I don't want Meryl to leave here thinking I've lied to her and brought her hopes up, because those weren't my intentions at all. I just wanted us to be on okay terms again…_

On his way to tribal council, Harley fretted over the consequences of his actions tonight. He was going to vote out Meryl, right after he made an alliance with her three days ago. There was no way she'd ever give him a jury vote. She will hate him forever, and rightfully so too. Harley still couldn't believe Faye would back out in the last minute, thus causing his entire plan to fall apart right in front of his eyes. Everything was going so smoothly until then. He almost thought he had this game in the bag.

_Oh well._ Harley sighed. He'll find a way to recover and move on. Once he looked at the bigger picture, he realized Meryl was only his ally for three days, whereas Faye had been with him since the beginning. No matter how naughty the bounty huntress acted at times, she would always take up a special place in his heart. He couldn't help it; he had a soft spot for Faye Valentine.

"Hey."

Harley noticed Mai walking next to him. She tried to communicate through discreet whispers and hand signals, which was challenging since there were so many people around them, but he heard everything that he needed to know about.

"We don't have to listen to Faye and Holland." Mai murmured in her softest voice. It was difficult to speak and not move her lips at the same time. "They're bluffing. They don't have all the votes. The five of us can still vote for Roy. There's you, me…"

"Meryl."

"Shannon."

"And Bulma." Harley nodded his head in comprehension. He can always tap Bulma on the shoulder and inform her about the news right before the vote. A tricky situation, but it could be done. Indeed, he realized he did have the numbers on his side – but at what cost? "It's too risky. We'll alienate Faye and Holland if we go through with this plan…"

"Then, you're just going to chicken out and let Faye do what she wants? Unbelievable." Mai scowled.

"I don't want our alliance to fall apart before it even begins." Harley obviously looked very distressed about this decision. "I can stand to lose Meryl as an ally, but I can't imagine myself with Faye. She's one of my closest friends out here. I don't want to upset her."

"She's the one who's being a bitch, not you." Mai frowned. She didn't understand what the big deal was. They can still vote out Roy despite the curveball that Faye threw at them. "Look, I'll vote with you no matter what. But my opinion is that we should vote out Roy just like we originally intended."

"I don't know, Mai. I really don't know what to do…" Harley mumbled, gazing sadly at his own feet.

"Well, you better make up your mind right now." Mai warned him. "Because we're here."

Harley sighed to himself as he looked up.

They had arrived at tribal council.

Iruka was waiting.

- - -

As a host, Iruka knew better than to show blatant favouritism for his preferred players, but there were certainly a few people he rooted for over the others. Bulma Briefs became one of those lucky few after her surprising performance at the challenge yesterday, defeating the likes of Roy and Holland in physical endurance. Iruka was amazed then and still awestruck now. He never thought a fifty-years-old woman could emerge as a contender in the challenges among all these young athletes.

"It's like Lois and Clark." Bulma tried to explain with a toothy grin on her face. "Everyone thinks of Clark Kent as Superman, but just because Lois is living in his shadows, it doesn't mean she can't have a few superpowers of her own."

"I don't think I get it, but that sounds like a mighty good answer!" Iruka laughed heartily for a moment before catching his mistake and straightening his face. He decided to avoid asking Bulma any questions for the rest of the evening. "So Shannon, I obviously can't overlook your accomplishments. You won immunity again and came awfully close at that reward challenge too. Have it ever crossed your mind that you might win all the challenges from now on?"

"I won't grow complacent." Shannon replied in an unenthusiastic voice. "I play this game one day at a time."

"Did you think you needed this immunity tonight?" Iruka asked.

"Always," said Shannon.

Iruka waited for the quiet swordsman to elaborate on his answer, but that response never came. Shannon liked to keep his words short and to the point.

"Zolo went home last time. Am I making a fair assumption that another person from Tsunade will leave tonight?" Iruka asked a difficult question and he browsed the tribe for somebody to pick on. "Roy, what's your opinion on this?"

"If I was a betting man, that'd be my wager." Roy smiled.

"Why?"

"Because it makes sense." Roy shrugged his shoulders.

Again, Iruka waited for a more detailed answer that never came. Roy might be a wordy person at times, but he knew when and how to choose his words correctly. The right words can serve as powerful weapons in a war, just like how the right silences can be equally deadly.

"On the other side of the spectrum, we have Jiraiya." Iruka browsed the Sarutobi tribe once again. "Kari, you're part of the numbers so to speak. Do you feel like you're in any danger at all?"

"I always feel a little vulnerable. I think everyone does. It's tribal council. You never know what can happen." Kari smiled diplomatically at the host.

"I sense some anxiety in your voice." Iruka narrowed his eyes at the petite DigiDestined. "Do you feel like you're out of the loop in your new tribe? How are you basing your vote on tonight?"

Kari's smile grew tenser.

"A few people tell me how to vote and I listen to them."

"And you're happy with that arrangement?"

That smile on her face stretched so much it can't even be considered as a smile anymore. The little girl just dropped her head and refused to look at anyone.

"Yes, I'm very happy." She meekly replied.

"Interesting answer." Iruka nodded his head a few times, "Okay, it's time to vote. Keep in mind that anyone you vote out from now on will be part of the jury. Those seven people will decide on who wins the million dollars in the end." He paused a moment for dramatic effect. "Bulma, you're up first."

Before Bulma stood up to vote, she received a very light tap on her shoulder. She briefly turned around and caught Harley mouthing a name to her.

She smiled and nodded her head.

It was the _signal_.

- - -

Harley was the last person to vote tonight. As he wrote down five letters on the parchment, he let out an audible sigh, sounding both disappointed and relieved. Backstabbing allies wasn't as fun as he had imagined, but at least the night was over.

"Just like I promised you, Shannon didn't get voted out." Harley said with a sheepish smile as he held up his vote. "I'm a man of my word. Sorry."

Bulma saw his signal earlier tonight. And so did Mai.

Harley told his girls he was voting along with Faye.

When the Pokemon Coordinator returned to his seat, he was unfortunate enough to catch a glimpse of Meryl's vulnerable smile. It wasn't a sad smile as he expected, but rather a hopeful one, as if she was smiling gratefully at her potential saviour. And that was when a storm of guilt and misery struck Harley's conscience, because he realized nobody had informed the poor clueless soul about the bad news.

"Once the votes have been read, the person voted out will be asked to leave tribal council area immediately." Iruka inserted his hand into the voting urn. "The first vote…"

Meryl recognized her own handwriting for Roy.

"And the second vote…"

Again, there were three letters.

This was Shannon's vote, but Meryl was beginning to relax a little. She reassured herself there was nothing to worry about. Her new alliance must have stayed true to her; she just needed to believe in them. She can't be unnecessarily paranoid all the time.

Meanwhile, Harley was silently freaking out.

_Oh god, oh god, she doesn't know! This is like a train wreck waiting to happen!_ Harley closed his eyes, cringing. He just didn't have the time to tell Meryl about the sudden change of plans. But then again, even if he did find the time, he wondered if he'd have the courage or the backbone to admit the truth anyway. Probably not.

"Meryl." Iruka read out a new name on the third parchment. "That's two votes for Roy and one vote for Meryl."

It wasn't until Meryl saw her name again that she detected something might be wrong. Wasn't this supposed to be a unanimous vote tonight? Harley _promised_ her.

"Meryl."

She shot a worried glance at Harley.

"Meryl."

Harley was too busy staring at the ground.

"Meryl." Iruka paused for a moment. "That's four votes for Meryl and two votes for Roy."

By the time she heard her name called out for the fourth time, Meryl realized she had been used, played, and tossed aside like a good fool. Shannon was correct in his cynicism. Her so-called alliance had been misleading her all along. She should have known. Meryl also realized how amusing this situation was in a twisted way. Everyone kept telling her she was supposed to be the _last_ surviving member of Tsunade. And yet, here she was, the first one voted out. They wanted her gone before Roy, Shannon, and Mai.

She felt like such an eternal loser.

"Roy."

Meryl wasn't the only one surprised when, against all expectations, Iruka read out the third vote for Roy tonight.

Holland's head darted up in alarm.

_What!?_

As he quickly calculated the numbers in his head, he came to the conclusion that Roy should not have received a third vote against him. _Meryl, Shannon, and who else!?_ Three votes must have meant someone from his alliance defied the group consensus and voted with the Tsunade tribe anyway. And it wasn't Roy. He couldn't have voted for himself.

The mysterious third vote was concrete proof there was a conniving snake slithering in his alliance.

Holland already had an obvious suspect in mind.

"And the eighth person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_," Iruka turned over the eighth parchment. "Meryl."

Meryl felt so emotionally drained when she stood up and grabbed her torch. She never saw this coming until a minute ago. How naïve of her to think she would be safe when she was in the most danger all along. Damn Harley for bringing her hopes up. Damn Harley for letting her guard down. Damn Harley for misleading her with an alliance that would never come into fruition. Damn, damn, damn.

The petite insurance agent gave Shannon a brief hug, then dragged her feet over to Iruka and presented him with the torch.

"The tribe has spoken." Iruka snuffed out the already dying flame. "It's time for you to go."

Meryl turned around and gave one last glare at her "alliance" members. If looks could kill, all four of them would have been dead by now.

Afterwards, she departed on her walk of shame. Slowly and sadly, her petite figure disappeared among the dark shadows. Shannon was the only person who cared enough to watch her leave. Everyone else seemed too busy shooting accusatory glances at each other, all of them concerned about the mysterious third vote that seemingly came out of _nowhere_.

"You've voted out your first juror." Iruka said in a solemn voice. "Six more to go. Goodnight."

Shannon Casull was the first one to get up and leave. He didn't want the others to see that he was smiling. Even though his closest friend and ally had been voted out, he couldn't help but smile at the miracle that happened tonight. He knew if Meryl was in his shoes, she would be smiling too. It was just a tiny modest smile, nothing too uncharacteristic of him, because he didn't want to grow too complacent in case things went wrong. One day at a time.

So, why was Shannon smiling?

Because there was hope.

All along, the quiet swordsman assumed he would be alone after Meryl was voted out. But what happened tonight proved otherwise. Just when he thought he was at the end of his line, that mysterious third vote showed him the light. Shannon had an ally somewhere in this tribe. He just didn't know yet who his guardian angel was.

- - -

_**Meryl's Final Words**_

I can't say I was totally surprised by the outcome. Nothing in this game can faze me anymore. I just can't seem to catch a stupid break at any point. Every time things are beginning to look up for me, there's always something to ruin my day. A lie, a loss, a bad twist…I've experienced it all. It's like I either have a grey cloud or a dunce hat on top of my head all the time. I think I might be the dumbest and the unluckiest player to ever play _Survivor_! At least I made the jury. I guess I should be proud of my one measly accomplishment.

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**Roy worms his way into the majority****…**  
_Faye: We want to include you in our alliance._  
_Roy: Splendid._  
(Roy kisses Faye lightly on her cheek.)

**True feelings come out at the reward challenge****…**  
(Bulma uses her machete to cut a purple rope. Mai winces.)  
_Mai: I didn't deserve that._  
_Bulma: Just like how you don't deserve to go on another reward._

**And Jiraiya starts a witch-hunt within their alliance****…**  
_Holland: Who voted for Roy?_  
_Faye: It has to be Mai._  
(Harley snaps his finger in a conclusive manner.)  
Harley_: I think Kari is the rat._

_**All this and more on – Episode 9: Cinderella**_

- - -

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews in the last episode, everyone! It's very encouraging and also very helpful to read your input on the story. Without giving too much away, I think Episode 9 will be an interesting read. Anyway, don't forget to review and take the survey! Every bit of input is greatly appreciated! 


	9. Episode 9: Cinderella

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Harley forms an alliance with Meryl, promising her that Roy will leave at the next tribal council instead of Shannon. After winning the reward challenge, a drunken Holland gets intimate with Mai, only to regret about his actions the morning after. He decides to keep his distance from the blonde. Meanwhile, Shannon wins a gruelling immunity challenge, putting Roy on the chopping block. The colonel uses his relationship with Faye and persuades her to vote out Meryl. In turn, Faye forces her alliance to do the same, thus backstabbing their new ally. Meryl is blindsided with six votes, while Roy receives three. Everyone is in shock about the mysterious and unexpected third vote against Roy._

_Eight castaways remain. Who will be voted off next?_

**Episode Nine: Cinderella**

Sarutobi Tribe **: Bulma **_(Dragonball Z)_, **Faye **_(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Harley** _(Pokemon)_, **Holland **_(Eureka Seven)_, **Kari **_(Digimon)_, **Mai **_(Yu-gi-oh)_,** Roy **_(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon** _(Scrapped Princess)_

- - -

**DAY 25**

Kari could not find her running shoe in the shelter this morning.

It was surprising that she, of all people, would lose a shoe, of all things. Normally, she was a very organized girl who kept her clothes and belongings in a tidy little corner out of everyone's way. Kari was the second biggest neat freak in her tribe. She was only surpassed by Shannon and his obsession with cleanliness. Hence, losing things was out of character for her. She wasn't a messy or forgetful person.

"When was the last time you saw it? May be you misplaced your shoe somewhere?" Holland asked.

"I put it over there, I swear! I don't know why it's gone all of a sudden." Kari scratched her head, puzzled. She browsed around the shelter for what seemed like the hundredth time, yet she still couldn't locate the missing item.

Although it began as a one-person search, Holland eventually got the whole tribe to help Kari find her shoe. Nobody put a lot of effort into it. Some, like Harley, just pretended to look around the shelter for a few seconds before giving up. Most of them had been sleeping until Holland woke them up for what seemed like the most pointless search in history. Kari was a big girl. She could have looked for the shoe herself. There was no need to get everyone involved just because she was irresponsible.

Then, Harley caught Faye's glance.

She winked at him.

Her lips twitched upward into a mischievous smile. And she mouthed three words to him. It took Harley several moments before he understood what his friend was trying to say: _I hid it._

Harley raised a hand over his mouth to suppress the sudden urge to giggle.

_Where?_ Harley mouthed back to his friend. He was suddenly a lot more interested in the whereabouts of the shoe.

_You'll see._ Faye winked again.

_Tell me, you bitch!_ Harley snickered, but quickly disguised it as a laugh.

_Up there._ Faye pointed her index finger upwards. Harley looked confused, prompting his friend to clarify her answer.

"Up your ass." Faye grinned at first, but then realized she might have spoken these words a little too loud. Kari sharply turned her head, looking offended. She thought the remark was addressed to her. Meanwhile, Harley clasped both hands over his mouth. He was trying so hard not to laugh out loud.

"Excuse me?" Kari didn't think she said anything that warranted such a blunt comeback from Faye.

"Um, nothing. I thought I found the shoe, but it was somebody else's. Never mind." Faye lied.

Kari stared at the bounty huntress for a few seconds. She then shook her head, apologized for no reason, and returned to her search. As soon as she turned her back on them, Faye and Harley shared a round of silent giggling together. They played a prank on Kari and she fell for it. Juvenile, yes, but it also seemed like the funniest thing in the world to them. Entertainment in _Survivor_ came in many different forms. For some, the idea of fun was to bring other people down.

Harley was surprised with his reaction. He thought he would be furious at Faye for what happened yesterday. He expected to throw a fit, or at least give her the silent treatment for a few hours. But all it took was for Faye to pull one prank on Kari, and she won him over again. Everything was forgiven and forgotten. That was why Faye hid the shoe in the first place, just for shits and giggles. She knew it would make him happy. And it worked like a charm.

He couldn't help it. He just adored Faye so much. Harley told himself there was no point in staying angry at his best friend. Tribal council and Meryl were both memories of the past. Faye was a present ally who can propel him further in the game. Besides, hiding Kari's shoe was a classic joke meant to make him laugh.

How can he possibly _not_ forgive her?

- - -

Shannon couldn't be less enthusiastic about the whereabouts of a missing shoe. He didn't even pretend to look for it anymore. He just wandered aimlessly around camp, staring at the horizon. The campsite was a mess.

It rained again for the second night in a row. This time, the rainfall was longer and heavier. And that meant there was a lot more cleaning up to do on the morning after. The tribe needed fresh water. But first, they needed a new campfire. But before that, they needed more firewood. The cycle of work seemed endless, yet they had so little time to get anything done. The grey gloomy skies looked like an indicator it might rain again in a few hours. Shannon felt like he was wasting precious daylight looking for Kari's shoe. There were so many other things he should be doing right now.

After five minutes of futile searching with false leads and no results, Shannon finally had enough.

"I'm going. I don't have time for this." Shannon muttered, walking away.

"Hey. You can't leave yet. This is supposed to be a group effort." Roy frowned. He stepped forward to block the swordsman's way. "No one is going anywhere until we find the shoe."

"We aren't being productive right now. We haven't even started on our morning chores." Shannon tried to gently push Roy aside, but the colonel won't budge from his spot.

"If Kari looks for the shoe by herself, it'd take much longer." Roy retorted, "She'd be looking for her shoe instead of working, which is an even more unproductive use of time, don't you think?"

Holland looked up, eyeing the two men back and forth. He sensed some tension boiling between Roy and Shannon. As the leader of the tribe, he wondered if he should break up the pointless argument. The last thing they needed was an argument over a difference of opinions. Holland was reminded of the early Jiraiya days where he woke up every morning to a squabble between Asuka and Bulma. He didn't wish to duplicate this tedious routine in the new Sarutobi tribe.

"We don't have water, food, or fire in our camp. It's a matter of priorities," muttered Shannon. He sounded a bit annoyed as he spoke.

"You can't expect Kari to walk around camp barefoot! She might injure herself!" Roy argued. He didn't notice until it was too late that he had raised his voice at Shannon. He almost never lost his composure. Talking to the stubborn swordsman seemed to bring out the worst in him.

"I never implied that." Shannon shot back.

"No, I can tell you haven't considered it at all." Roy smirked.

"Don't put words into my mouth." Shannon warned. There was a change in his tone. It sounded more severe. More intimidating. More dangerous.

"Then don't be such a stubborn ass," said Roy.

Kari helplessly watched this argument from aside. She wanted no part of this drama. She just wanted to find her shoe. Were they arguing about her? Or were they just arguing for the sake of proving the other man wrong? She looked around the camp. Most of the other players seemed entertained by this distraction. But Kari was worried. Roy and Shannon exchanged such intense looks that she feared they might get into a fistfight.

Fortunately, Holland stepped in before anything happened.

"Gentlemen, as much as you like to hear the sound of your own voices, we don't have all day for you to argue back and forth." Holland smirked a little. "Let's find the damn shoe and get this over with, okay?"

Roy and Shannon didn't react at first. Those intense looks lingered on their faces. Then, the colonel softened. He offered Shannon a polite smile, like a peace offering, but the swordsman won't return the gesture. Truce? Hardly. This was just the beginning of a bitter and long-lasting rivalry in the game.

_**Roy:**__ Shannon and I don't see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. We avoided a big argument so far because I'm diplomatic and I make compromises. I find Shannon very inflexible. He never backs down from anything. And that annoys me because I'm always the one who has to accommodate his views. It's hard to get along with someone as uncooperative as him._

He folded his arms across his chest defensively.

_**Roy:**__ We're competing for the same role at camp. One of us is going at the next vote. It's either Shannon or me. He has the upper edge because he does more work – of course, he does the most work out of everyone. What's stopping these people from keeping him around because he's useful around camp? No, that wont' do. I'll have to ensure he's the target at the next tribal council. I refuse to be the inferior male in my tribe._

Fifteen minutes, Kari was reunited with her shoe.

It was Roy who located and retrieved the missing item at the most peculiar place: on the shelter's roof.

"How did it get up there!?" Roy pondered out loud.

Kari shot a brief glance at Faye, hanging around Harley, still giggling among themselves. The petite girl then looked away, feeling guilty she was accusing someone without proof. She had an idea how her sneaker mysteriously appeared on top of the shelter, but she preferred not to think about it. Ignorance was bliss.

"I got my shoe back, that's what matters. Who knows? May be it was raining _shoes_ last night!" Kari laughed. And she looked at her companion, expecting him to join in. He humoured her with a half-smile, but no more.

Roy can tell from her laughing profile that the young girl had been under a lot of strain.

- - -

Kari volunteered to prepare lunch at noontime. Shaannon and Bulma were the usual cooks around camp, but they agreed to let her take the reigns for this meal. It was a chance for the DigiDestined to redeem herself after bothering the entire tribe. This meal symbolized as both her apology and her thank you gesture to everyone.

Unfortunately, luck just wasn't on Kari's side today.

Because her ritual of humiliation was only about to continue.

"Wow. You…you overcooked the rice really badly." Bulma stared down at her bowl in disbelief. She couldn't believe this ball of black crisp used to be rice. It resembled something that came out of a dumpster, or a fireplace.

"Yuck, I don't think we can eat this!" Harley stated the obvious.

Kari mumbled her apologies over and over again. She just wasn't feeling like herself today. This never happened before. She didn't understand why she overcooked the rice. Whatever her excuses were, her tribe wasn't very sympathetic. Food was a scarce resource in_ Survivor_ and burning a portion of it was a sure-fire way to make enemies.

"Hey, this stuff can't be that bad. Stop exaggerating already! Food is food. Be thankful for what we can eat!" Mai was one of the few people who expressed sympathy towards Kari. To demonstrate her point, she took a small bite of the hardened black rise and swallowed it with a nervous smile. It was like eating coal. "See, I ate it. No problems."

Then, Mai politely put down her bowl and never touched it again for the rest of the meal. She hoped Kari wouldn't notice. The blonde reminded herself she should have learned her lesson after the Minaberries incident.

"This tastes like dog food. It's disgusting." Faye also ate some of the rice, but spat it out right afterwards.

"Dogs have feelings too." Roy frowned. He was another person who fell sorry for Kari. He tried to stand up for the young girl, but the colonel soon realized it might be a lost cause. These people just weren't in a good mood today. They didn't get enough sleep. They weren't well-fed. They just wanted to pick on somebody.

And Kari Kamiya was such an easy scapegoat.

"Kari, I don't mean to criticize you…" Holland began, and right away everyone knew he was going to rip Kari a new one, "But we don't have a lot of rice left. We can't waste food like this. If you're an incompetent cook, then you shouldn't have volunteered for kitchen duty. It's irresponsible behaviour. I expected better judgement from you."

The petite girl felt red in the face. She finally had the courage to look up at Holland since he first opened his mouth. He was _scowling_ at her. Feeling intimidated by his piercing blue eyes, Kari looked down at her feet again.

"I mean, we trusted you with the food. We thought you were capable of handling it. But you disappointed us." Holland was now rambling on a pointless tangent. "Now, we've this shit we can't eat, we lost a big ass load of rice, and we're still starving to death. What are we going to do, Kari? Tell me how we're going to fix this mess."

Even though Kari admitted she wasn't blameless, she didn't like the way Holland talked down to her. He spoke as if she was an ignorant child who didn't know any better. Like she was an undisciplined animal that needed adult supervision. Like she was a tiny ant among lions and tigers.

"You could have stopped while you were ahead." Roy chuckled as he put an authoritative hand on Holland's shoulder, signalling him to shut up. Kari was almost on the verge of tears in front of everyone. Did he really want to make her cry? "Be a little sensible here. Kari already apologized a million times. There's nothing she can do."

"As long as it doesn't happen again." Holland concluded, realizing he might have gotten carried away. He looked up at Kari with a solemn expression. "Okay, Kari?" She nodded her head. "Good girl."

Roy felt bad watching her, whimpering, like a pathetic puppy dog without a home. He wondered what he can do to cheer her up. So, he decided to eat the rice. Pieces by pieces. He inserted it in his mouth, gulped it down, and washed away the nasty taste with water. Kari stared at him with bewilderment at first. She couldn't understand why he was doing this.

If Roy wasn't wearing an eye patch, this would be the right time to give her a playful little wink. Instead, he just flashed a tiny smile at Kari. And she smiled back, gratefully, at the man who was brave enough to eat her cooking.

Kari then made a mental note to herself that Roy Mustang was a nice man.

_**Roy:**__ Nobody in Jiraiya respects Kari. When she overcooked the rice today, they pranced on her like vultures. May be it's because she's so young and harmless, they view her more as a nuisance than an equal. I watched the way they behave around her. It's very telling. I almost see her as a modern Cinderella in Konoha. Her so-called Jiraiya family doesn't give a damn about her, that's for sure._

For someone who was usually so acute in his observations, Roy was wrong on one account. Like the rest of his tribe, he underestimated the capabilities of Kari Kamiya. Yes, she might be meek. And quiet. And a bit of a pushover. But when pushed far enough, even Kari had her limits.

It was easy to compare Faye and Harley as the evil 'stepsisters' and Holland as the wicked 'stepmother'. There was no denying that Kari was miserable in her little Jiraiya home, where they ridiculed and condescended to her at every opportunity.

But she was definitely not Cinderella.

Because Kari knew how to fight back.

- - -

After an eventful morning, the afternoon that followed seemed peaceful and dull. Mai Valentine decided this was the right time to scout for fruits in the forest. After a few hours, the blonde returned with quite a jackpot. She found a lot of berries and some mangoes, but the prize of the day was those big juicy grapefruits, a rare specimen in Konoha. Mai found two of them in total. She almost struggled to carry everything back as she waddled back to camp, like a penguin. At first, she thought everyone would be ecstatic about her success. Unfortunately, there was nobody present at camp when she arrived, other than Roy, who was tending the fire by himself.

"Wow!" Roy exclaimed in delight. "How did you find so much? Did you go rob a grocery store or something?"

"I know my way around the forest." Mai grinned triumphantly.

She waddled her way to the kitchen area, where she was soon joined by Roy. The two of them carefully unloaded all of the fruits onto the ground. Roy began sorting them in their respectful categories, while Mai grabbed a mango from the pile. She took a small bite and some of the sweet yellowish juice leaked out of her mouth. Ahh, it was delicious!

"Are you the only one here? Where's everyone?" Mai looked around camp.

"Kari and Shannon are on water duty." Roy replied, "The others are gathering firewood. They said they'll be back before dinner."

Mai nodded her head as she took another bite out of her mango. Then, the common sense kicked in and she made a strange face. Roy loved watching the visible thinking in her animated expression.

"Wait, there're _four_ people collecting firewood at the same time?" Mai almost did a double take.

"It doesn't add up, does it?" Roy smirked.

"What the hell? Did Holland start a firewood expedition team!? They don't need four people for that!" Mai laughed in disbelief.

"It worries you a little, doesn't it?" Roy asked, glancing thoughtfully at the blonde.

Mai didn't reply back. She slowly walked over to the campfire and sat down. The blonde took a third bite out of her mango, thinking as she chewed. Roy soon joined his companion on the communal log. He wanted to continue infesting her mind with suspicious thoughts.

"Well, it seems obvious to me they're having a strategic talk." Roy grinned.

"You don't know that." Mai shot back.

"You're part of their alliance. Why aren't you included?" Roy asked.

"Kari isn't there either," argued Mai.

Roy scoffed, dismissing it as a silly little excuse. Kari? Kari Kamiya? When had the non-entity been included in any strategic discussions anyway?

"The point is they're plotting without you, Mai. Your allies are talking about you behind your back." Roy now had a shit-eating grin that Mai so desperately wanted to wipe off. Was it because he was being so smug? Or was it because she feared he was telling the truth? "At the end of the day, you're still a Tsunade. You're as much of an outsider as Shannon and me."

"You're stirring the pot and I don't believe you." Mai retorted.

The colonel had been working on her for a while now, even before Meryl got the boot. He wanted Mai to realize she was in danger and they were going after her once all the threats were gone. She didn't believe Roy naturally, because she had Harley in his alliance and she trusted him to keep her safe. But at the same time, Harley was only one person out of five. Exactly how much influence did he have over the Jiraiya tribe?

"Mai, you can't stick with Jiraiya forever. If you don't change the dynamics now, they'll vote you out and then it's too late." Roy continued. "And I'll be right here telling you I told you so."

"Shut up and eat your mango, boy." Mai muttered.

Roy shrugged his shoulders. He knew he already planted the seed in her head. They worked together before. She should understand that his observations about the tribe dynamics were always accurate. Mai just needed to open her eyes and smell the coffee. Jiraiya was trouble for her.

_**Mai:**__ Anything out of Roy's mouth is bullshit, but I'm a little worried about my position in the alliance. For some reason, they're behaving suspiciously around me. Holland talks to me like a stranger ever since we returned from the reward. Faye acts like a bitch to me all the time. But what confuses me the most is I don't think I've done anything wrong. And I don't understand why they're alienating me._

She bit her lips nervously.

_**Mai:**__ I proved my loyalty to Jiraiya again and again, but they still won't include me in their secret meetings. Tell me, am I doing something wrong here? How can they not trust me? How can the not see that I've been myself one-hundred percent?_

- - -

Elsewhere, a trial was taking place without the guilty member present.

"Who voted for Roy Mustang?" Holland, the no-nonsense judge, asked each of his alliance members. All of them looked him in the eyes, hoping to prove their innocence. "Fess up now. I promise I won't get angry."

"It has to be Mai." Faye said, "Holland, I know you're thinking the same thing. That's why you didn't ask her to come here, right?"

Obviously, this 'firewood expedition' was a lie. They were here to strategize among themselves. Yet, nobody bothered to include Mai in this meeting. Because as far as Holland was concerned, starting from today, that woman was no longer part of the alliance.

"She's the most obvious suspect." Holland admitted with a nod. "Mai and Meryl are close friends. It wouldn't surprise me if they voted together."

Mai was easily the group consensus. The same traitor who backstabbed her former tribe was likely to turn around and backstab her current alliance as well. No matter how hard the blonde tried to redeem herself, her reputation will always precede her. She was once a rat, and will always remain as a rat. Holland and Faye came to this conclusion without much thought, since they both wanted to lose Mai for personal reasons. As for Bulma, she was more than happy to jump on any available bandwagon.

However, Mai also had a surprisingly loyal friend in this alliance.

"I don't think Mai did it, you guys! She might be framed by someone else!" Harley argued, in a weak attempt to stick up for his friend.

"Unless you're implying one of us here is the traitor," said Faye.

"Not at all." Harley snapped his fingers. "I think Kari is the rat."

Holland shook his head right away. No way Kari betrayed them. This was the same girl who admitted, at tribal council last time, she was content being a follower to her alliance. She was honest. And trustworthy. Cowardly even. She wouldn't have the guts to do something like this. Besides, they all knew Harley was extremely biased when it came to Kari. He was more sceptical of her than the average person.

"Kari doesn't have the balls to make a move." Holland was the first to deny the accusation.

"I don't think she changed her vote." Bulma chimed in.

"This is something down Mai's alley." Faye added.

Harley was flabbergasted with their responses. Did they forget that Kari broke her word not so long ago? She and Guy, partners in crime, almost managed to take Harley out of the game until he thwarted their plans. Then she retreated in a quiet little corner, hoping nobody would pay any attention to her. But Harley will never forget that he was wronged. He just couldn't believe his alliance members would have such short term memories.

"Mai voted with us every single time. The same cannot be said about Kari!" Harley shook his head in protest. "I don't understand why you blame it on the person with a clean track record…"

"Kari was acting under the influence of Guy. She learned her lesson." Holland refused to back down.

"Yeah, and Mai just doesn't have the opportunity to turn against us yet." Neither did Faye.

_They're out to get her! I can't believe it! _Harley continued shaking his head. He was starting to realize the political aspects of this decision were intertwined with the personal. Holland and Faye had been looking for reasons to get rid of Mai all along. They now had one and they wouldn't let it go. _This is an outrage! This isn't fair to Mai at all!_ Feeling frustrated, Harley turned to Bulma as the moral compass, or more as a last resort. But she was going with the majority. Like always.

Holland thought they established the correct suspect, no more bickering over this moot point, so he urged his alliance to move on.

"Now comes the real question. What do we do with Mai?" Holland asked.

"Let's vote out the rat!" Faye exclaimed with a toothy grin.

"N-no!"

Harley was taking one last stand for his friend.

"Let me talk to Mai first. Please!" Harley sounded less courageous once he felt three pairs of eyes on him. Peer pressure always made him feel so uncomfortable. "Let's hear her side of the story before we sentence her to death!"

"It won't make a difference. She's going to lie to you." Faye scoffed.

"I believe she's innocent." Harley shot back.

"You can talk to her, but don't tell her what we're planning to do." Holland warned the Pokemon Coordinator. "It's important that Mai thinks she's still aligned with us."

"You guys, don't make this ugly. Don't vote out Mai…" Harley pleaded.

"Well, you can do whatever you want." Faye shrugged her shoulders. "But I just think it's a damn shame to throw your entire game away for a shady woman like Mai. Is she really worth all the trouble?"

And that was when Harley learned his first important lesson in this game.

Without Faye's support, he had virtually no power in his current alliance.

- - -

After the meeting, Faye shared the good news with her _Survivor_ boyfriend.

"Hey there. How _you_ doin'?" Faye grinned, sitting down next to the colonel. She rested her head on his shoulder. Over the past few days, she grew more and more affectionate towards Roy, which was strange because she wasn't normally a touchy feely person.

"Are you finished strategizing yet?" Roy smirked.

"We were collecting firewood!" Faye said in a dignified manner, but she can tell Roy didn't believe her for a second. Oh well. What harm can he do?

She took a moment to appreciate the handsome man next to her. He was the only one with a scruffy little beard on his face – Holland and Shannon shaved theirs off a few days ago, while the effeminate Harley was astonishingly hairless. She thought Roy's facial hair was a welcoming addition to his chiselled features and charming smile. Faye always liked her men rugged.

"What're you leering at, you perv?" Roy glanced down at the bounty huntress.

"I'm staring at your ugly mug." Faye replied cheekily.

"Your eyes are not worthy of my beauty." Roy said without missing a beat. He tried to shake her head away from his shoulder, but she wouldn't let go of him. "Stop undressing me with your eyes."

Ah yes, the friendly banter. Faye remembered the real reason why she was attracted to Roy Mustang. He never failed to amuse her. She felt so comfortable around his sarcastic humour and his infectious laugh. She felt comfortable around _him_, period. Faye could totally picture herself waking up next to him every morning. He was, he truly was, her ideal man.

Too bad they were playing a game for a million dollars. And Faye never forgot this fact.

"Roy, I've an offer." Faye said, pulling herself away from Roy and now speaking in a business-like tone. "We want to include you in our alliance. That means you are sticking around for a while."

"I'm spared? Splendid." Roy smiled, and then he kissed the bounty huntress gently on her right cheek.

"We're targeting Mai first," said Faye.

"You aren't going after Shannon?" Roy asked, slightly surprised.

"He's more…_trustworthy_." Faye did a quote-unquote gesture with her fingers as she said the word. The way she said it indicated this might not be the only reason. Roy had to read between the lines.

"He just didn't have the chance to lie yet." Roy muttered under his breath. He wasn't the biggest fan of Shannon.

_**Faye:**__ It sounds crazy, but we're voting out Mai first. Shannon escapes the guillotine again. It seems like a nuclear fallout can't get rid of that man, so we let him off the hook this time. Besides, he's going to win immunity for a third time, so what's the point in targeting him now?_

She sneered a little at the camera.

_**Faye:**__ I want to get rid of Mai for a couple of reasons. One, I still haven't forgiven her for screwing me over with the twist. If it wasn't for her, I'd have the hidden immunity idol in my back pocket right now. Two, she's too close to Harley and I don't like sharing allies. And three, she voted with Tsunade last time, which means we have to screw her over first before she screws us again._

All it took was one out-of-place vote at tribal council, and the paranoia already kicked in. Mai had just been replaced in the alliance by another fifth wheel. As fortunate as he should feel right now, Roy was unhappy about his current situation. Faye might have promised him that he won't go home any time soon, but he wasn't content being another number in the Jiraiya alliance. He had no desire to be Holland's yes-man, just like how he had no desire to be Faye's bitch. Roy wanted to play his own game, lead his own alliance, and make his own decisions.

So, Roy decided to bite the hand that feeds him.

He was going to spill the beans to Mai tomorrow.

- - -

**DAY 26**

Retrieving treemail was Kari's favourite part of the morning, unless Holland accompanied her on the trip. She knew his routine too well. He'd grill her about loyalty, numbers, alliances and whatnot. Then, it felt like torture.

Today was one of those torturous days.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Holland asked the petite DigiDestined a casual question, since he can see that she was a little tense this morning. "I'm glad it didn't rain."

"Yeah…" Kari smiled and nodded her head.

Holland grumbled. He felt more distanced with her everyday. They hit it off great at the beginning, but he was beginning to suspect the influence of Guy brought the two of them together. Without the enthusiastic ninja around, Holland realized they shared almost nothing in common. She didn't like authority figures. And he didn't like young children. The two of them were never meant to be allies. He just didn't notice these flaws in their relationship until now.

"Look, we're thinking about voting Mai out next." Holland cut straight to the chase when he realized the chit-chat wasn't working. "Are you okay with that? Will you vote with us?"

"Yes, of course." Kari lied. It didn't matter what she replied anyway. They weren't going to change their plans just because of her.

"Kari, are you…are you really happy in this alliance?" Holland asked the child with a frustrated sigh. "I feel like you're telling me what I want to hear so I'll shut up and leave you alone."

The DigiDestined was amazed at how observant he can be sometimes. It scared her a little.

"I know I've been hard on you in the past. I'm just a blunt person sometimes and I don't know how to control my temper." Holland continued, "If you've a problem with the way I act, tell me so I can make changes to my behaviour and become a better man."

"Holland, please don't say that! I…I don't…" Kari couldn't find the right words to express her thoughts. She didn't realize Holland was apologizing to her until the final sentence.

"Do you hate me?" Holland asked, blunt as always.

"I don't…" Kari mumbled. Even when he was apologizing to her, Holland made her feel so uncomfortable. She almost wondered if she was a bad person for feeling this way.

"I voted out Guy. You must hate me a little." Holland frowned.

Kari sighed. She forgot that Holland, when not in one of his moods, can be a pretty nice guy at times. She pictured him as an egoistic and condescending dictator when that was not the case at all. She had misunderstood him. She created a monster in her own head.

"I want to apologize if I've upset you in the past. I can be a prick sometimes, I admit. But I'm trying my best to be a changed man." Holland flashed an enigmatic smile at the DigiDestined. She felt horrible for thinking it looked kind of creepy on him. "And I hope you'll give me the chance to redeem myself. You can tell me about your problems, and I'll share mine with you."

"Holland, I'm touched. I really am." Kari placed a hand over her heart.

"So, is there anything you want to tell me?" Holland asked without missing a beat.

_Oh my god._

It was the first time she noticed the malice in his piercing blue eyes.

Her smile trembled. He was testing her! She knew it! Holland was trying to figure out if Kari was the traitor, and she almost fell for it too. He would've gotten away with this clever ploy if he was a slightly smoother talker. But Kari caught on. And she raised her guard again.

"No." Kari pretended to play dumb. "I don't think so…"

"I knew I could trust you." Holland nodded in approval. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "The target is definitely Mai alright."

Kari took a sigh of relief when she realized she passed the interrogation.

_**Kari: **__Every time I think about betraying Jiraiya, I feel bad because Holland trusts me so much. Even the time he thought I betrayed him, he still allowed me back in the alliance. I…I think it's kind of detestable to use this trust against him. I don't like lying to Holland. He's not a bad guy, he really isn't. Nobody in this game is a bad person._

She flashed a weak smile at the camera.

_**Kari:**__ Even though he trusts me, I can't say the same about Holland. How can I trust someone who yells at me for overcooking rice, and then does a one-eighty the next day because he expects my vote? I'm sorry for backstabbing him, but I don't think I can survive any longer in this alliance. I want a change. I need to start fighting for myself._

- - -

Shannon was looking for his guardian angel, but he didn't know where to find her. He wasn't even sure if his guardian angel was a woman, it was just a whim. The swordsman soon realized how difficult this search will be. It could be anyone, really. He wished he had a hint of some sort. At least then he'd know where to start. Right now, Shannon was on a wild goose chase. He might as well close his eyes and point at a random person. Or better yet, he might as well give up on his search.

To his surprise, his guardian angel came to him instead.

"Do you need any help with the water, Shannon?" Kari asked the swordsman as she jogged up next to him.

Shannon shook his head, but she helped him anyway. The two remained silent for a while as they worked. They picked up the canteens and began filling each of them with water.

"I voted for Roy last night." Kari said very quietly.

The swordsman stopped what he was doing and stared at Kari in disbelief. Say _what_!?

"You were the third vote?" Shannon asked.

"Don't tell anyone. I trust you." Kari nodded her head.

"But…but why?" Shannon looked somewhat confused. He didn't rule out Kari as a possibility, but like everyone in Sarutobi, he didn't think the DigiDestined had the guts to defy her tribe. "Aren't you safe in your alliance?"

"If I don't do something to change my position in the tribe, I might get voted out very soon," said Kari.

"And why are you telling me this?" Shannon asked.

"Because I trust you." Kari smiled faintly at the swordsman. "Shannon, I want to make an alliance with you."

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. To say Shannon was _floored_ at the moment was simply an understatement. His guardian angel had arrived, and she was already working on her first miracle.

- - -

It took a couple of minutes before Shannon regained his composure. In the meantime, Kari explained everything to him. She told him about her loneliness in Jiraiya, she told him about her motives for voting Roy, and she told him about why she wanted a new alliance. Shannon listened attentively, half excited and half doubtful. She sounded genuine enough, but he was still a cynical person. He didn't know how much he can trust Kari.

"I thought it was Mai." Shannon spoke his first words after Kari was finished retelling her life story. He shook his head a few times in disbelief. It still astonished him the quiet DigiDestined would throw a curveball nobody saw coming.

"Jiraiya thinks so too, so that's why they are voting her out next." Kari said, looking sheepish. "I think we can recruit Mai in our alliance if we tell her what's happening."

Shannon continued to shake his head. He was suddenly reminded of his conversation with Meryl a few days ago, where she assured him Roy was going home next. Poor Meryl never saw her blindside coming. What happened at the last tribal council still left a bitter taste in Shannon's mouth. He knew better than to trust Jiraiya and their outrageous voting plans again.

"How do I know you're telling the truth? How do I know you aren't lying to me?" Shannon asked.

"I don't have a reason to lie." Kari looked confused.

"May be Holland sent you to throw me off the scent," suggested Shannon.

"You're so sceptical!" Kari laughed nervously. "No, I can't really prove anything…but I'm going through a lot of risks just telling you all this. I'm putting myself in unnecessary danger if I was lying to you, you know? This wasn't a spur of the moment thing. Ever since Guy got voted out, I told myself that I'd stick with Jiraiya for one tribal council is like, see what the other tribe is like, and then I'll make my move."

But the cautious swordsman wasn't convinced. He had stopped shaking his head, but now he folded his arms across his chest in a defensive manner.

"We only have three people in this alliance. How is it going to work?" Shannon asked.

"I was thinking about asking Roy. He seems like a nice guy." Kari replied.

"Appearances can be deceiving." Shannon muttered under his breath. He wasn't the biggest fan of Roy.

"First of all, you need to have faith in me. I know I'm not the strongest girl or the smartest, but I'm not totally irrelevant in this game." Kari smiled at her doubtful companion. "I believe good things happen to people who work hard to make good things happen. If the two of us work hard enough, we can make something good happen."

"You're just like Orihime and Meryl. You're too optimistic." Shannon shook his head, almost as if optimism was an incurable curse. "Optimistic people don't go far in this game."

Kari pretended not to hear him.

"All I know is if I continue to be a follower, I won't go far in this game. Something needs to change. Change is good." Kari crossed her fingers.

Shannon sighed. He was far too jaded about life to believe her wishful words. He would agree to this alliance with Kari, but he knew it won't amount to anything. His guardian angel was nothing more than an optimistic fool.

_**Shannon:**__ And the plot thickens. Kari told me she cast that third vote, but I don't know how much I can trust her. She strikes me as very quiet, very sneaky, and may be a bit over the moon sometimes. After what happened with Meryl, I won't trust a word anybody says. I'll always believe I've a target on my back. I'm not gullible enough to think Kari can change anything in this game. Unless I win immunity again, I'm still doomed at the next tribal council._

The swordsman paused for a long moment. It almost seemed like this confessional was over, but he had one final thought to add.

_**Shannon:**__ There is another alternative in case I'm not immune. I could always go to Jiraiya and tell them what Kari confessed to me. That might buy me some time. It seems a little dishonourable, but she brought it onto herself. I never promised her anything. She isn't my ally like she led herself to believe. All my true allies are already gone from the game._

Kari, quite foolishly, thought all her problems would end if she just formed an alliance with the other tribe.

But she never expected Shannon would sell out his own guardian angel to save himself.

- - -

An hour before the reward challenge, Sarutobi was given a set of questionnaires to fill out in private. These consisted of trivial questions ("Who is the least stylish person in the tribe?" – everybody answered Holland) and also more personal questions ("Who is the most intimidating to approach?" –again, everybody answered Holland). Some people struggled to finish the survey, finding it difficult to write down anybody's name for the particularly _nasty_ questions. Others, like Faye, had no reservations about answering as truthfully as possible. As a result, she was the first player to finish all one hundred questions with plenty of time to spare.

"That was fast, Faye." Iruka said as he skimmed over her answers. He won't start tallying the results until everyone finished their surveys. "Does that mean you've a lot of strong opinions on everyone?"

"They should know how I feel about them." Faye grinned.

One by one, the players handed in their responses. Kari was the last person to finish. She had a tremendously guilty look on her face, because she noticed she had answered Holland's name for a lot of the challenging questions. Every time she was stumped, there was always one name that fit all the boxes. Kari didn't know how she strongly felt about the Jiraiya leader until she wrote it down in words.

It took another hour for Iruka to read over all the responses before he came back prepared. The results were tallied. Let's begin the reward challenge!

"Each player has three plates hanging from the trees. I'll ask a series of questions concerning the questionnaire. You'll answer based on what you think the majority says. Every time you answer a question correctly, you get to smash one of those plates." Iruka pointed his hand to the right. "If all three of your plates are smashed, you're out. Last player standing wins the reward!"

Iruka then told the players what they were playing for: a trip to the local Konoha hot springs with a luxurious dinner included. Iruka didn't even need to ask - like always, this was definitely a reward worth playing for.

"Let's get started. Pick up your chalkboards, everyone." Iruka drew out a cue card and began reading out the first question. "Who is the most talkative? Just a reminder, you're trying to guess what the majority answered."

All eight players wrote down a name on their chalkboards.

"Okay, reveal…"

Six players answered 'Harley' as the most talkative castaway. Only Harley and Kari wrote down 'Bulma' on their chalkboards.

"The correct answer is Harley." Iruka smiled at the Pokemon Coordinator, who feigned shock in front of everyone.

"Me? No way! I'm not a chatterbox at all!" Harley joked.

"Everyone except Harley and Kari will get to smash a plate." Iruka declared, "Roy, you're up first."

Roy grabbed the machete and walked over to the big elm tree. Numerous coloured plates were hanging there through difference pieces of rope. After examining his gallery of choices, the athletic man raised his machete and smashed one of Shannon's blue plates into half.

In the next turn, an unfazed Shannon returned the favour to Roy.

Bulma went next. She swung her machete at a purple rope, which was tied to one of Mai's plates. Once the rope was chopped off, that plate fell and broke into pieces. The blonde winced a little. She didn't expect Bulma to go after her immediately. She had thought Roy and Shannon were the more obvious choices in an elimination challenge like this.

"I didn't deserve that." Mai said, half-jokingly.

"Just like how you don't deserve to go on another reward." Bulma sneered.

Mai didn't realize how much she was despised until Faye and Holland both smashed her two remaining plates, taking her out of the reward challenge in the very first round. They didn't even put on the pretence that it was a difficult decision. They went after her plates right away.

"Same reasons as Bulma." Faye muttered as an explanation.

"Nothing personal. You just went on too many rewards in the past," added Holland.

And just like that, Mai Valentine was eliminated from the challenge. She felt embarrassed and astonished as she took a seat next to Iruka. She didn't expect to win this challenge in a million years, but she couldn't believe she'd be the first one out – before Roy _or_ Shannon too! For someone who was supposedly part of the majority alliance, she didn't feel very safe about her position right now. She only hoped this reward challenge wasn't an indicator of the future pecking order.

Although she was out, Mai still had to smash a plate before the next round can begin. She tried demonstrating her fierce loyalty to Jiraiya by destroying Shannon's second plate, not that it mattered anyway. They all formed their opinions about her already. At the end of the first round, Shannon had one plate left, Roy had two, while everyone in Jiraiya had three intact.

"Second question." Iruka changed his cue cards. "Who is the least sensitive member?"

Holland was the majority answer, but only four people put him down as their answer. Ironically enough, they were the four members of his alliance: Bulma, Faye, Harley, and Kari. Roy and Shannon answered each other. Holland wrote down Faye's name on his chalkboard.

Faye delivered the finishing blow to Shannon's third plate, while Bulma and Harley both went after Roy's. Both men were consequently, and unsurprisingly, eliminated from the challenge.

Kari looked nervous as she picked up the machete – she never held one in her hands before. She looked even more nervous when she walked up to towering elm tree. She didn't know which plate she should target. Actually, she knew what to do, but she just didn't want to do it in front of her entire tribe. With a sigh and a quick apology, she slammed her machete at Holland's orange plate.

The leader's lips twitched with curiosity.

"Third question: who is the most arrogant?"

Holland's names showed up again on many chalkboards, except for Harley who answered Roy, and Holland who answered Faye.

"The majority answer is…Faye." Iruka said, much to everyone's surprise. Faye wore a knowing smirk after she heard the revelation. "Only one man gets to participate in this round."

Holland knocked out the first red plate he could find. It belonged to Kari.

"Fourth question: who is the least threatening?"

This seemed like a simple question. Almost everybody answered Kari at once, including herself. The only person who thought differently was Harley, who wrote down his own name instead. He was wrong.

Bulma smashed one of Harley's plates, reasoning that the Pokemon Coordinator had answered the least questions correctly so far. Faye and Holland both went after Kari, making her the fourth player eliminated from the challenge. Before she joined the other losers on the bench, Kari swung her machete at Faye's plate as revenge. This meant Bulma was now the only player with all three plates untouched.

"Fifth question: who is the _most_ threatening?"

This one was unanimous. Everybody answered Roy. They were all correct.

Bulma smashed Faye's plate. Faye and Holland worked together again to knock out Bulma's plates. Harley took out one of Holland's. As a result, everybody had one plate left in the tree except for Harley, who had two.

"Sixth question: who is the least trustworthy?"

The answers were split this time. Bulma and Faye answered Mai, to the blonde's well contained surprise. Holland and Harley answered Roy, which was the actual correct answer.

Holland took out one of Bulma's plates, eliminating her from the challenge. In the next turn, Harley targeted the Jiraiya leader, eliminating him as well. Only Faye and Harley remained in the challenge now – they were the Final Two.

"Seventh question: who is the most popular?"

Both Faye and Harley wrote down Roy's name on their chalkboards. The colonel seemed to have a pleased smile on his face.

"The correct answer is _Roy_ again." Iruka turned to the colonel for a question. "Roy, your tribe members answered you as the most threatening, least trustworthy, and the most popular! How does that make you feel?"

"I'm very flattered. My ego is so stroked right now." Roy shrugged his shoulders. What did Iruka expect him to say anyway?

The challenge was already won. Faye smashed one of Harley's plates, leaving him with one. And naturally, Harley took out Faye's last plate, thus eliminating his final competitor from the challenge.

"Harley wins the reward!" Iruka declared.

"Yippee!" Harley clapped his hands together in glee. He blew an air kiss to his tribe members. "Muah! Good game, everyone! I love you guys!"

"You may take one player with you on this reward," said Iruka.

"I'm going to choose Mai." Harley blurted out with no hesitation. He flashed an apologetic smile at Faye, whose expression seemed to have darkened all of a sudden. "I wish I could take everyone to the hot springs, but…"

But Harley needed to talk with Mai. He wanted some alone time with her so he can inquire about the mysterious third vote. Bringing his friend to this reward was the perfect opportunity to do just that. Besides, he knew he'd have the most fun on this trip with Mai out of everybody. The feisty blonde had a well-known reputation as a wild party girl.

Unfortunately, Faye wasn't a mind reader and she couldn't understand why on earth Harley would choose Mai over her. On paper, this decision didn't seem to make any sense. Why did he pick the girl who already went on two cozy rewards, including that ambassador's meeting with Meryl a week ago? Why did he pick the same girl who was eliminated first in the challenge, whereas Faye made it all the way to second place? Holland was a gracious enough winner to invite the top finishers last time. Why couldn't Harley do the same?

As the initial confusion transformed into unfathomable rage, one thing became very clear to Faye. If she didn't resent Mai enough before, she now hated that woman's guts beyond the point of no return. And little did Harley know, whether he'd agree to it or not, Mai Valentine was definitely Jiraiya's target at the next tribal council. Faye wouldn't have it any other way.

- - -

Mai was thankful to go on yet another reward. The cameramen were thankful too, because she had undressed herself down to a towel and she was never too modest about her body. However, the blonde shooed the lecherous production crew away, preferring to enjoy the _onsen_ (a Japanese styled hot spring) in peaceful solitude. The water here was so warm, so soothing, and so different from that shower at the Konoha Inn. She never imagined she would be sitting under a starry sky, enjoying an open-air bath. She felt so comfortable that she dozed off a couple of times. Mai only woke up when she heard a sudden knock on the walls. It was Harley telling her that their dinner was ready.

"Soo-shi! I love sushi!" Harley exclaimed giddily over the dining table. The choice of meal was one of his favourites, which excited him, because he had always been a very picky eater. Surrounded by his favourite food, the Pokemon Coordinator acted like an excited child in a candy store. "Mai, you gotta try one of these! This is soooo good!"

"Hold on there, tiger. We need to save some for takeout." Mai grinned. She remembered Holland got a lot of flak last time for not bringing back any food from the inn.

"Yeah, may be we can give them the soy sauce." Harley said sarcastically.

"Don't be so mean!" Mai giggled.

"No, we won this reward! We deserve to eat all the food!" Harley made a pouty face. Mai playfully threw one of the napkins at her friend to make him change his mind. "Okay, may be some wasabi too. It'll go well with the rice. Unless Kari burns it again."

Mai threw another napkin at him. This time, she made sure to aim at his mouth.

_**Harley: **__The dinner was kind of funny, because we ate rice everyday for the past few weeks. And here we are, eating even more rice! But this is different. This stuff actually tastes good. The sushi, the sashimi, the sake…everything, it's great. I love it! I'm so glad I won this reward, and I'm so glad I took Mai. We needed a heart-to-heart talk with each other._

Harley didn't bring up the topic of the vote until they finished dinner and Mai had a couple of drinks down her throat. She controlled herself this time (mostly because Harley wasn't a drinker), avoiding another hangover before an immunity challenge. Harley thought he could use a few drinks himself to soothe his nerves, because he was getting more nervous as the time approached.

"Thanks for taking me to this reward. You're a _doll_!" Mai pecked Harley on the cheek, causing him to giggle.

"No problems, babe!" Harley smiled toothily at his friend. "I just want to make it up to you after you got eliminated first in the challenge."

"Yeah, what was up with that!? Do they hate me or something?" Mai asked.

"They don't hate you! They…" Harley sighed a little. "They don't trust you, that's all. They think you voted with Meryl last time."

Harley can tell from her look of sheer disbelief that she was unimpressed with his answer. He can sympathize with her to a certain degree. He hadn't been that impressed with his alliance lately either.

"I _swear_ on my life that I didn't vote for Roy." Mai shook her head instantly.

"That's what I told them, but they won't believe me…" Harley muttered.

"No, forget about them. Do _you_ trust me, Harley? Do you think I'm innocent?" Mai asked a direct question.

Harley didn't know what to say. All of his confidence seemed to have left him at the moment. God, he really should have taken some sake. At least he wouldn't feel so nervous and self-conscious if he was drunk. But Mai could suspect something was wrong from the prolonged silence anyway. It took Harley too long to respond back. She knew right away her closet friend had obvious doubts about her loyalty.

"Shit, why don't you guys trust me!? I've been loyal to Jiraiya all the way!" Mai shouted.

Harley felt helpless as he sat across from her, offering his friend nothing more than sympathetic glances. He finally took a sip of sake to calm his nerves.

"Oh god, I've been made into a complete scheming whore." Mai muttered under her breath. She looked up at Harley with a determined expression on her face. "Look, Meryl was my friend, but I didn't let our friendship get in the way. I never vote with my heart. I'm a very logical player. And I promise you that I've stayed completely true to Jiraiya up until now."

"I want to believe you, Mai. I really do." Harley flashed a sad smile at his companion.

Mai took a deep sigh. He didn't believe her. She can sense his apprehensiveness.

"So, am I next? It seems natural after all these skewed accusations against me." Mai spat angrily.

"No, no, no! We're still an alliance! Don't get me wrong!" Harley didn't like lying to his friend, but he promised Holland he wouldn't reveal the blindside they prepared against Mai. "We're still voting for Shannon next! You've plenty of time to redeem yourself!"

"Oh really? How much time?" Mai raised an eyebrow.

"Don't stress about it! I won't let them vote you out!" Harley put on his best artificial smile, but Mai wasn't buying into his shtick one bit. "I didn't tell you all this so you can freak out. I just wanted to make sure that you weren't the rat, that's all! I needed some reassurance and I got it. Case closed!"

"If it wasn't for you, I would've jumped ship a long time ago." Mai admitted quietly.

"Huh?"

"If it was just an alliance with Holland, Faye, and Bulma, I would've sided with Tsunade at the merge." Mai elaborated on her answer. "I trust you, Harley. That's why I stuck with this alliance until now. You don't know how much you anchored me to Jiraiya."

"Well, I…I didn't know I've so much power over you." Harley laughed nervously.

"You're my friend, Harley."

"Uh, you're my friend too. One of my best friends! Tied with Faye!"

"And as a friend, I hope you'll tell me if I'm in danger at a tribal council. I'd do the same for you." Mai said in a very earnest voice. "So, I'm going to ask you this again. Am I going home at the next vote?"

"Nope! Nothing changed! Shannon and Roy are still our targets!" Harley laughed.

He was lying.

And she knew.

_**Harley: **__I feel like I'm in a very difficult position, because I have to choose between two friends. Faye and I have been together since the beginning, but I also really get along with Mai. It…it really sucks that they're voting her out. I don't believe she voted for Roy, but Jiraiya doesn't trust her anyway. Hey, what can I do, I'm just one guy. I'm in a solid alliance that will take me to the end. I can't afford to break all my ties just so I can save Mai. _

He sighed heavily at the camera.

_**Harley:**__ First Meryl, now Mai. That's two angry jurors already. Who's next? I don't wanna know…_

- - -

The reward didn't include an overnight stay. Harley and Mai returned to camp after finishing an awkward dinner together. They tried to pretend nothing was wrong, but she was already looking for her way out. The Jiraiya tribe didn't want her. That much she knew.

They cleared out all the food from their dinner and didn't bring anything back. It was Harley's choice, so the others will remain weak in the challenges, but the blame and resentment fell upon Mai. She was just an easier target for the bitter betties to hate, whereas Harley got off the hook because he was popular around camp. Among the several vocal dissenters, Bulma was one of the worst. She literally got up and walked away when Mai approached the shelter tonight. Bulma had no desire to hear the stories about how wonderful the hot springs were. _Ugh._

"Guys, I'm taking a walk." Bulma muttered to anybody who cared. The sky was dark and it seemed unnatural to go on an excursion at this time of the hour, but she just needed some excuse to get away from Mai.

"I'll come with you," said Faye.

Bulma and Faye were never friendly with each other, even though they were both friends of Harley. These two women didn't get along beyond the fact that they were in the same alliance. But lately, they found a common enemy in Mai, which somehow gave them a reason to bond together. Of course, Faye was practical. She knew they'd never be best friends or anything close to that. Regardless, it was still fun to have a _bitching_ buddy at camp, especially since Harley had softened quite a bit over the past few days.

"Excuse me if I don't want to hear Mai talk about yet another reward that she doesn't deserve." Bulma rolled her eyes at a nearby camera. "Ugh, I'm just fed up with Mai. I'm so over her."

"I didn't know you hate her that much." Faye remarked.

"I don't hate her. I just think she's a bit of a tart." Bulma smirked.

"Well, I think the camp will be a better place once she's gone." Faye folded her arms across her chest. "We only have to put up with her for one more night, and then her ass is out of here!"

"I'd hope so." Bulma paused for a moment. "Faye, are you sure this is a foolproof plan? The more I think about it, the less certain I feel about the outcome. It seems so _risky_ to vote out one of our own…"

"That's why we're including Roy in the alliance," said Faye.

"But can we trust him?" Bulma asked.

"Even if Roy pulls a fast one on us, we still have Kari's vote." Faye reminded her. "Unless Mai wins immunity, we can vote out Shannon like we always wanted to. Otherwise, it's six against two, or worst case scenario, five against three. The numbers are on our side no matter what."

_**Bulma: **__We're voting out Mai Valentine tomorrow night. I won't miss her when she goes, because I think she has been very spoiled in this game. She went on three rewards already and ate like a queen each time. Meanwhile, the rest of us peasants are starving to death every night. This wouldn't be so bad if she actually won something for a change. Instead, she's just freeloading on other people's successes. I don't think it's fair at all. Nobody deserves to be this pampered, especially not Mai._

That night, Mai felt a light tap on her shoulder all of a sudden. It was Roy. He pressed his index finger against his mouth, signalling the blonde to be quiet as she climbed out of the shelter. Everyone was asleep, but one can never be too careful about these things. So, Roy waited a few minutes later until he too exited the shelter and joined Mai by the campfire. She looked at him expectantly. He better have a damn good reason for waking her up in the middle of the night.

"They recruited me in their alliance to vote you out," whispered Roy.

Mai didn't ask why or how. She believed him right away. It amazed her how she was always prepared for the worst in this game. She had an easier time believing bad news than the good ones.

"Let's make an alliance together." Roy continued to whisper, "We'll get Shannon and Kari on our side. We can take down someone from Jiraiya."

She was reminded of the time when they collaborated together to take Kurz out of the game. Those were the days. Roy always had her best interests at heart. Of course, Mai wasn't naïve enough to think that he was looking out for anybody but himself. But the two of them ended up on the same team more often than not, and they were constantly striving for the same objectives, just as they were now. She knew Roy was a smart man. His instincts were right. And his plans always worked.

"We'll force a tie. Whatever happens next is up to anybody's guess." Roy looked up at her with a vague smile. "So, how about it? Are you ready to gamble?"

Roy did all the talking so far, so he wasn't sure what her reaction might be. For a second, he feared that she might rat on him and inform her alliance about his deceptiveness. He was relieved, however, when he heard the first words out of Mai's mouth.

"Thank you for a way out…"

- - -

**DAY 27**

Anyone who knew Holland well should understand he was a careful man. He never formulated a plan in _Survivor_ without guarantee it will succeed. So on the days there were tribal council, he liked to make sure he had the numbers on his side. He also stayed in touch with his allies so they'd be informed about the target. And he kept a close eye on his enemies in case they were plotting against him. This became his routine every three days. His allies were used to expecting this check-up the morning before every tribal council. It was a great way of knowing if Holland trusted someone or not, because he only invited those he considered part of his exclusive alliance. Anyone left out were the enemies. They can piss off for all he cared.

So, imagine Mai's surprise when Holland sent her away on an errand this morning.

"Can you and Shannon get treemail, just for this morning?" Holland asked.

"That's Kari's job." Mai reminded him.

"She's busy with something. Don't worry, it won't take long. Shannon can keep you company." Holland grunted, and then quickly dismissed the two of them.

_The nerve of him! _Mai was no foreigner to Holland's tactics. She knew the Jiraiya captain was organizing a big strategic meeting behind her back. It was ironic, really, that she was the one to leave camp just so he and his alliance could plot against her. She almost felt insulted that Holland would underestimate her intelligence like this. She knew about his routines. Days ago, Mai used to be included in these meetings. Now, for whatever reasons, she was excluded from the alliance and made to feel like an apparent outsider, along with Shannon, the other outcast of the tribe.

Normally, her ballsy self would have defied against Holland just to throw a wrench in his plans. But today, she followed his orders because she wanted some privacy with Shannon anyway. It was time to set her plan into motion. The outcasts of Sarutobi were going to unite their forces together at last.

_**Mai: **__Jiraiya made a big mistake isolating me ever since the last tribal council. They started pointing fingers and I got blamed for that third vote against Roy. I never did it, but the truth doesn't really matter as long as they've a scapegoat. I guess I must have a guilty face or something, because I'm always being blamed for things I didn't do. Meh, I'm used to it. This doesn't bother me. I believe anything that doesn't kill me can only make me stronger._

She wore a determined look on her face.

_**Mai: **__They chose the wrong woman to pick on. I was loyal to them until they cut all ties with me. Now, the gloves are off. No mercy. I'm ready to deliver some justice!_

Once two people shared a common goal, it was only a matter of time before they got their points across to each other. Both Mai and Shannon been looking forward to talking strategy together, and now they got their chance.

"It's on. I'm going full throttle on Jiraiya's ass. They want me gone." Mai told her treemail companion, while he nodded his head in comprehension. So, this confirmed Kari's version of the story. She was telling the truth to him. He really wasn't the intended target for tonight.

"I heard rumours about that too," said Shannon.

"Roy and I are working together. We need two more votes to force a tie. Are you in or not?" Mai asked.

"I'm in, and I can bring Kari as well." Shannon replied without hesitation.

Mai looked absolutely delighted with the news. She thought she'd have to go through the trouble of winning her potential allies one by one, but they were more than willing to team up with her. The idea didn't seem plausible before, but the four of them might actually stand a chance against the Jiraiya alliance now.

"Sweet." Mai smiled at him. "But I think four is the most we can get. May be I can talk Harley into voting with us, but I doubt it."

"So, there's going to be a tie?" Shannon asked.

"Why? You chicken?" Mai raised an eyebrow. She looked a bit amused.

"No, but I'm worried about Roy. Can we trust him? What will he do in a tie?" Shannon folded his arms across his chest. "If we have to draw rocks for a tiebreaker, will he bail on us like I think he would?"

Mai took a moment to think about her answer.

And that didn't seem very reassuring to Shannon.

"He better not. If he chickens out, I'm going to cut his balls off and make mincemeat out of them!" Mai licked her lips.

"Okay." Shannon looked uncomfortable and a little horrified with the visual image Mai described to him. "I hope everyone is willing to force a tie tonight."

"It's too late to turn back now." Mai grinned defiantly.

They formed an alliance. Great. Now came their next issue. They needed to agree on a target. There were four people to choose from, and they needed a back-up in case immunity went to the wrong hands. At first, both Mai and Shannon quickly decided on Faye. That was when they discovered their mutual dislike for the bounty huntress. They listed the number of reasons why they wanted her gone, calling her the 'B' word, the 'C' word, and all the way down the alphabet until they reached the 'R' word – Roy.

"The boy is whipped. He won't agree to vote Faye out. I just know it." Mai shook her head, frustrated.

"He's more into her than he'd like to let us know." Shannon added.

It was difficult to mention Faye without bringing up her henchman Harley, but neither Mai nor Shannon was enthusiastic about voting him out. They both enjoyed his company. Mai displayed some fierce loyalty to her old friend, while Shannon preferred to see several others go first. Thus, the Pokemon Coordinator was also crossed out from the list of candidates, mostly due to his popularity around camp.

Then there was Bulma, whom Mai didn't trust and whom Shannon wouldn't mind getting rid of. The inventor hadn't made a strong impression on them either way. She was just there in the alliance, Mai would explain, like an ignored follower or a shadow behind the power figures. Shannon pointed out Bulma was the type to go far in this game because nobody perceived her as a threat. But for the exact same reason, they both thought it was a waste to go after Bulma this turn. There were bigger fishes to fry in the sea.

In the end, it seemed obvious the target had to be Holland Novak – leader, strategist, athlete, and one hell of a competitor. He was a huge threat in this game and Jiraiya will fall apart without his guidance.

"I don't have a problem with voting out Holland." Shannon shrugged.

"Well, then Holland it is!" Mai smiled, although she felt a little sad about this decision. She did genuinely like the Jiraiya captain, despite his moodiness sometimes. But then, she remembered he was probably the one who rallied the tribe against her, and whatever guilt she felt had evaporated into thin air.

_**Shannon:**__ I still have hesitations about this alliance with Roy, Kari, and Mai. I was forced into it by the circumstances, but they don't seem like trustworthy allies in the long run. All three of them backstabbed their current alliance to get where they are, and I'd be a fool if I didn't think they can do the same thing to me. I'll have a hard time finding another Zolo or Meryl in this game._

He frowned a bit at the camera.

_**Shannon:**__ My new allies are backstabbers. And I feel dirty being in the same alliance as them. But I guess I've no other choice. I'll just have to work with them and see where it takes me._

When Mai and Shannon returned to camp with the treemail, Holland had finished with his pep talk. He basically reiterated to his alliance who the two targets were. Either Mai or Shannon was leaving tonight, depending on who didn't win immunity. The remaining outcast will go home at the next tribal council. When they were down to six, all bets were off and they'll have to fend for themselves. It sounded like a fair enough deal to Holland. He hoped his allies would think the same.

But had Holland not been so fixated on the future, he might have noticed the revealing patterns that happened after his little talk.

Mai wasted no time pulling Roy aside for a chat.

While Shannon went straight to Kari for a similar discussion.

It was like a game of broken telephone going on right in front of his eyes. Except Holland was too blind to realize what the message was being sent.

- - -

Although Shannon won the immunity headband for the last two times, he never once wore it around his forehead. He thought it was a silly decoration item that would look even sillier on him. Of course, when nobody was looking, he might let the headband hang around his neck just to see if it looked good on him or not. He concluded that he looked like an idiot. Nonetheless, the immunity headband was a pivotal item in this game. Shannon hoped he'd have the fortune to possess it for the third consecutive time.

"Immunity is back up for grabs!" Iruka announced to the group once he received the headband from Shannon. "Will anyone else get to wear this? Let's find out!"

"You know what they say. Third time's the charm, eh?" Bulma said jokingly.

Today's immunity challenge involved assembling a Rubik's Cube, a prospect that excited puzzle lover Bulma very much. This was in fact a duplicate of a previous challenge held in _Survivor: Dewford Islands_, one where the dark horse Casey won it at her most desperate time. The puzzle cubes were a little smaller this time as to give petite people like Kari a fairer chance. However, the objective was still the same. The castaways were supposed to manoeuvre the Rubik's Cube so that one set of colours was on the same side.

"…and the first player to do so will win immunity." Iruka smiled at the castaways. "Everyone, pick a random cube and we'll get started."

Kari looked wary when she approached her unordinary Rubik's Cube. It was almost as tall as her. She can imagine it would be very difficult to move the heavy pieces, especially for a tiny girl like her.

"Survivors ready?" Iruka didn't wait to pause. "Go!"

Everyone assumed Bulma had this challenge in the bag, including herself. The elderly inventor was a certified genius who also happened to be an avid fan of puzzles. Nobody even came close to challenging her in this department, except may be Roy who was more of a logic-and-numbers kind of guy. Bulma had no competition against her. Even if Asuka was here, she wouldn't be a match. This challenge was made for Bulma to win.

But may be the overconfidence got the best of her, because Bulma didn't secure the lead at first. It was Faye Valentine, a pretty smart cookie herself, who quickly emerged as the leader, pushing all the pieces in seemingly the right directions. Not to mention she was a pretty athletic woman as well, so the size of the Rubik's Cube didn't affect her performance.

"Faye has four squares of the same colour on one side…" Iruka reported. "Nobody else seems to be making a lot of progress."

Several other players struggled with the puzzle. Kari had to literally press her body against the cube in order for any of her pieces to move. For Harley and Holland, they got stumped by the thinking part. They were no good at puzzles and they weren't afraid to admit it.

Mai knew she was in danger of leaving tonight, so she tried her hardest to win this immunity. Unfortunately, she didn't know what she was doing with the Rubik's Cube. Left, right, up, and down. She tried all the different combinations and got nowhere. In fact, she was probably dead last in this challenge. She managed to create a rainbow of colours on every side of her cube.

"Faye and Roy are neck and neck at the moment, both with six squares complete! Bulma is behind them with five…" Iruka declared. The inventor wasn't happy with this announcement and picked up her pace. "Shannon has three. Nobody else is coming even close to finishing."

As the challenge progressed, Bulma made multiple mistakes under the intense pressure. She thought this would have been a cakewalk for her, but she hadn't realized how stiff her competition was. She was forced to eat a slice of humble pie when she noticed that Faye and Roy were almost close to finishing their puzzles. But it wasn't over yet. There was still time for Bulma to catch up.

Meanwhile, Shannon was closing in on the leaders. Despite a slow start and no experience with a Rubik's cube at first, the swordsman was finally getting the hang of this puzzle. He was picking up momentum and soon catching up to everyone. Suddenly, the possibility of him winning immunity again might not seem so farfetched.

"Roy has eight pieces done!" Iruka exclaimed, "But his middle square doesn't match with the rest! He has got to fix that somehow!"

The colonel was forced to take apart his almost completed project and start from scratch again. While he cursed his misfortune, Faye rejoiced over her success. Because right now, in her head, she can figure out a way to get all nine red squares on the same side of her cube.

_Up. Down. Left. Another left. Then up again. One final spin on the bottom row…_

And she was done!

"Iruka, I got it!" Faye shouted out, calling the host to haul his ass over to her station right away. He took one glance at her Rubik's Cube and knew the challenge was over.

"Faye wins immunity!"

The victorious bounty huntress raised her arms high in the air. Her fellow castaways congratulated her with polite applause.

Bulma wasn't clapping. She was too devastated that she lost a challenge seemingly tailor-made for her. She was fine with losing to Shannon last time; that was understandable. But losing in her home field? She felt just as Kelly Wigglesworth did back in _Survivor: Borneo_ – she had lost all respect. If Asuka was here right now, she would have a good laugh at the inventor's expense. How tremendously embarrassing!

"At least Shannon didn't win again." Bulma joked, trying to look on the bright side of things.

That was what Bulma said out loud, but here was what she really thought in her head:

_Thank god Mai didn't win immunity so we can vote her out tonight!_

- - -

Shannon sat up a tree, watching the players scramble like ants in the hours before tribal council. It was meaningless scrambling, because both sides already reached a verdict for tonight. Any campaigning was just lies to throw the other side off the scent. For example, Holland told Mai they were voting for Shannon. After all, a blindsiding would only work if the charade was maintained up until tribal council. And to Mai's credit, she played along by smiling and nodding her head, then thanking Holland for his time. They were clearly enemies who were pretending they still worked together. Only when watching from a spectator's perspective did Shannon realize how twisted their charade games were.

As one of the least powerful players in the tribe (or so they thought), Shannon was thankful he didn't have to participate in the mindless campaigning process. Nobody approached him about the vote yet. Or in other words, nobody felt the need to lie to him yet. He supposed they didn't think he was influential enough to make any impact tonight, hence it didn't matter which way he voted. Shannon was fine with being ignored. He rather liked the fact that he can sit back and watch everyone else slaughter each other in the battlefield.

His solitude didn't last long however, because he finally had an uninvited companion on the tree.

Harley was here to spread a few lies of his own.

"Hey. Sorry about immunity today. I know it was important to you tonight," whispered Harley, shuffling his position so he can be lined up next to Shannon on the tree branch.

"It happens." Shannon shrugged nonchalantly.

"Keep your chin up! Who knows, may be something surprising will happen tonight…" Harley winked.

"May be." Shannon humoured him with a half-smile.

Ever since the merge, one of the unlikeliest friendships was formed between Harley and Shannon. Despite having virtually nothing in common, the two men somehow managed to get along. Harley never had a problem making new friends, while Shannon enjoyed the companionship. Even though he was easily the quietest and most introverted person in the tribe, the swordsman wasn't an antisocial loner. He still wanted to socialize with people every now and then.

The other players didn't suspect there was anything strategic behind this friendship. Most of them thought Harley was just sucking up for a jury vote. Even Faye dismissed it as a silly schoolboy crush that her friend will eventually get over. But they never thought about the possibility these men could be working together. Not in an alliance per say, but a gentleman's agreement of some sorts. Although Harley seemed like a transparent player who laid all his cards on the table, he was just as adequate at working behind the scenes. Nobody expected a partnership between Shannon and Harley, which was exactly why it was the likeliest thing to happen.

"I heard a few names mentioned for tonight. Yours was one of them, but nothing is concrete yet." Harley lied. He glanced up to examine the swordsman's reaction. Nothing. His face was unreadable.

"Well, they should know I'm not plotting or scheming against anyone right now," said Shannon.

"Yeah, you don't want to overthink these things." Harley nodded his head. He paused for a moment. "Can I ask you something? Did you vote for Roy last time?"

"Yes. I kept my word," muttered Shannon.

"So, who did you think cast the third vote?" Harley asked.

"I don't know." Shannon mumbled, but he did know. He just told his first lie in this game. Feeling guilty, he took a sideway glimpse of the Coordinator to observe his reaction. Harley didn't seem to suspect a thing.

That was when Shannon Casull realized he can get away with lying about a lot of things if he tried. People will believe him no matter what.

"I'm kind of conflicted right now, because my alliance thinks Mai is the snake." Harley said, frowning. He didn't notice Shannon just had a powerful awakening. "I feel like I should stick up for her, but I don't know how…"

Shannon wisely chose not to say anything. Another thing he realized in this game was how people interpreted silence as the words they wanted to hear the most. Right now, Harley was pouring his heart out to the swordsman, and it would be foolish to interrupt this flow.

"I think Kari might have set Mai up," added Harley.

And Shannon froze. He thought over all his possible options right now. He can go ahead and tell Harley the truth. He can tell the Pokemon Coordinator he was right on the money with his accusations and Kari really was the no-good traitor in Jiraiya. He can offer to take her out of the game, so Shannon himself will get to stay around for three more days.

But in the end, Shannon said nothing. Why? He didn't quite know himself. May be he still had an honourable bone in his body. May be he felt bad about betraying Kari after she confided all her secrets to him. Or may be he secretly wished Kari was right. Shannon wanted this alliance with Roy and Mai to work out, so he won't have to worry about winning immunity before every tribal council. It'd be nice if he can be in the majority alliance again.

May be he was just being too optimistic.

"I don't think Kari changed her vote. She'd have no reason to do so." Shannon stepped in and told his second lie.

"So, you think it's Mai? That's what everyone says. It doesn't matter if she's innocent or not, does it? People already made up their minds about her." Harley sighed dejectedly.

_**Harley:**__ I don't have a lot of choices tonight. I have to jump on the bandwagon and vote out Mai. My alliance has been looking for reasons to vote her out, and she finally gave them one. Whether Mai voted for Roy or not is irrelevant, because people like Faye and Holland didn't want her in the alliance in the first place. Now they have their scapegoat. Now everyone could be happy…but me. _

A sad smile was plastered on his face.

_**Harley: **__I feel bad that I can't change the outcome tonight. I guess I'm just weak like that._

Mai Valentine was going home. The decision was made by the powers above. There was no point of crying over spilt milk. Harley would have to learn to get over it just like he did with Meryl's ouster.

"Oh well. Thanks for listening to me." Harley smiled as he squeezed Shannon on the shoulder. "And chin up! You're probably not going home tonight."

_I know._ Shannon thought to himself.

But he allowed the silence to consume his guilt.

- - -

Harley immediately went to report to Faye, because he noticed a subtle red flag during his conversation with Shannon earlier. The swordsman was too calm, too complacent, and perhaps a bit too optimistic. For someone who was likely to go home tonight (or so they told him), he didn't behave like a defeated warrior at all. Instead, he carried the air of somebody who had a few secret tricks up his sleeves. And that freaked out Harley, the master of paranoia. He needed one urgent talk with his best ally Faye before they left for tribal council.

"Something's up. Shannon didn't even ask me who to vote for." Harley was speaking like rapid fire and Faye could barely catch his slurred words. "He almost seems resigned to his fate. And that's not very_ Shannon_, is it?"

"You think someone flipped?" Faye put her hands on her hips.

"He was approached by somebody for sure." Harley nodded.

Faye closed her eyes and sighed. She knew what he was going to say next. She knew her friend too well sometimes.

"It's Roy. He's working it." Harley went from nodding his head to shaking it with disapproval. "I told you we can't trust him!"

"You're thinking too much." Faye argued.

"It's better to be safe than sorry."

"Fine. I'll go keep him in line. If that makes you happy."

Faye didn't want to believe this was true, but Roy had a past reputation she couldn't overlook. He wasn't beneath agreeing to one alliance and then betraying it with another. That was why her allies were anxious about working with a snake like him – they all preferred the trustworthy Shannon as Mai's replacement in the alliance. But Faye fought hard for Roy and got her way. Now, she feared she might pay the price.

He was alone. Inside the shelter. Packing his bags. When he saw that she was approaching nearer, Roy smiled innocently at Faye.

"Aren't you going to pack?" Roy asked.

"I've immunity. I'm not going anywhere." Faye narrowed her eyes at the oblivious colonel. She was interrogating him, but he thought this was just a conversation. "Why are you packing? You aren't going home tonight."

"Yeah, but you can't be too sure about these things." Roy explained, "I don't want to be skanked at tribal council and then leave empty-handed."

"Look, I came here to offer you a deal. But it's only legitimate if you vote with us tonight." Faye lowered her voice to a secretive whisper.

Roy's face lit up with interest. He stared curiously at his companion.

"That's a strange choice of wording." Roy mused.

Faye smirked. She wasn't an amateur at this. No, she won't threaten Roy about his loyalty like the lesser players might do in her shoes. Some people like Holland assumed intimidation was the way to secure votes, but that approach was far too counterproductive. Fear won't keep people in an alliance. Incentives will. Incentives like a final three deal, for example. And at the same time, this incentive had to be _conditional_. They can't reap the rewards without signing the contract and fulfilling the requirements first.

"I want to go to the end with you. And Harley. We'll be the final three." Faye suggested. She paused for a moment, thinking, then she added, "You know you can beat Harley in an endurance challenge and me in a final vote. It'd be the perfect scenario for you. You should love to go to the end with us."

"But this is conditional?" Roy asked.

"No, it's guaranteed because you're definitely voting with us tonight." Faye winked.

"Why, of course." Roy smiled, secretly cursing at himself for slipping up. Faye was too good at this. She was an expert at catching people with their guards down. "Well then, that sounds like a very attractive deal. I'll have something to think about at tribal council."

"I mean, you wouldn't want to go up against Shannon in an endurance challenge or the final vote. He'll _slaughter_ you." Faye continued, smirking.

Now she hit his weak spot. She was questioning his masculinity. Roy always felt slightly inferior compared to Shannon, and the thought of being defeated by his rival really got him riled up. He could prevent this travesty from happening if he voted with Jiraiya. Shannon will remain an outsider and the next likely target to go. So, why on earth would Roy want to vote with Shannon tonight? Why would he propel his least liked opponent and most obvious threat further in this game?

The little wheels in his head began to turn.

_**Roy: **__I'm starting to reconsider my options for tonight. Jiraiya offered me a secure position in their alliance, and now Faye promised me a final three spot, so I've a lot to lose if I vote against them. That means I'm about to betray four people who put their trust in me. It won't look good on my report card to the jury. So, I don't know. This takeover might not benefit me that much. It might be safer if I just stuck with Jiraiya and vote out Mai. Then Shannon. And after that, Kari. I won't have to worry about the next three tribal councils. I can even start turning those morons in Jiraiya against each other._

He scratched his chin as he spoke.

_**Roy:**__ Instead, I'm opting to go through a tiebreaker and risk everything in my game. And I can't help but ask myself…why?_

In the end, Roy remained undecided. But Faye knew she had him wrapped in her hands. She can predict what he will do tonight, because no man can escape her three 'T's to playing _Survivor_.

First, she tempted.

Then, she teased.

And finally, she trapped.

Just like how Roy Mustang was officially _trapped_ in her alliance.

- - -

"Welcome to your ninth tribal council, Sarutobi. We'll now bring out our first member of the jury."

Hearing her cue, Meryl marched forward and stepped into the tribal council set. The petite pixie-like woman was dressed in casual attire, t-shirt and jeans to go along with her sporty white sandals. Harley looked up at her and smiled, complimenting the woman's stylish fashion sense in his head. She didn't return the gesture. Meryl was too upset when she saw that Shannon Casull didn't carry immunity tonight, when she was almost certain he needed it again.

Then, Meryl saw exactly _who_ stole the immunity headband from Shannon.

And she predicted right away this tribal council was going to suck.

"The jury will attend every tribal council to determine a winner in the end." Iruka explained, "You may not communicate with them in any way. They're merely here to observe."

Faye quietly sneered as she looked up at the bench across from her. Meryl was sitting there by herself. The bounty huntress can already picture what the jury would look like once Mai was voted off tonight. She would already be unpopular with two of the jurors. Oh well. She'll worry about that later. First and foremost, Faye will have to find a way to make the finals. If she wanted to win, she can always bring another finalist just as disliked as her.

"Let's talk about the immunity challenge today. Shannon, you didn't win this time!" Iruka exclaimed, feigning shock.

"I noticed." Shannon smirked.

"What's going through your head right now? Are you scared? Are you vulnerable? Are you angry at yourself?" Iruka asked.

"Anyone who doesn't have immunity should feel vulnerable about their chances. I sincerely hope no one is arrogant enough to believe they're always safe at a vote." Shannon said, pausing a few times between his words. "Faye won the challenge fair and square, so I'm not angry about the outcome. I'm not a sore loser."

"Bulma, what about you? You were supposed to be a frontrunner in this challenge…" Iruka teased.

"I know, I know. I humiliated myself out there today." Bulma bowed her head down in mock shame. A few players laughed politely. She shrugged her shoulders. "But you know what, you win some and you lose some. I'm going to tear a page from Shannon's book of classiness and move on."

"Everyone is so nice tonight. What's going on?" Faye joked.

Iruka noticed her and smiled. Leave it up to Faye to tense up the atmosphere in tribal council.

"Faye, you won the challenge. How much do you need this immunity tonight?" Iruka asked.

"To be honest, I don't feel like I'm in a lot of danger with or without immunity." Faye gestured her hand towards the immunity headband worn on her forehead. "I've positioned myself in the tribe where I feel very secure. I'm in an alliance and we make up the majority."

"May I remind everyone that Faye won the title of 'most arrogant' at the reward challenge yesterday…" Holland grinned. Faye turned around and shot the Jiraiya leader a nasty look.

"I don't think I'm being arrogant. I'm just speaking the truth. I'm not going to sit here and give out beauty pageant answers because that's what you want to hear." Faye rolled her eyes. "It takes one hell of a player to get to where I am right now, and I think I deserve some credit."

"Ah yes, I was getting to the reward challenge. Roy, you were named the 'least trustworthy', 'most threatening', and 'most popular'! How does that make you feel?" Holland asked.

"I was so popular that I am the answer for all the categories!" Roy said jokingly.

"In all seriousness, these titles almost seem contradictory with each other…" Iruka pointed out. "Or are they related? Are you threatening because you're so popular and so untrustworthy?"

"I don't think I'm an untrustworthy or a threatening person." Roy shrugged his shoulders. "I kept a lot of promises and I'm not in a powerful position right now, so I don't know why I'm being perceived this way."

"Kari, in contrast, you were named the 'least threatening' player out of everyone," said Iruka. "Do you think that's a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It works both ways," replied Kari.

"Do you think it's a correct description of you?" Iruka asked.

"I guess we'll find out soon." Kari smiled vaguely.

A few of her alliance members looked up in surprised, looking alert, but Kari didn't elaborate on her answer any longer. Iruka also stopped the question session here, only bringing attention to the challenges and nothing more. He didn't mention anything about the tribe dynamics like he usually did, because he knew all the dirty laundry will come out in the open soon enough.

"It's time for the vote. Faye has immunity and cannot be voted out. Everyone else is fair game." Iruka announced, "Kari, you're up first."

The young girl got up and made her way across the rope bridge. She turned around once and briefly exchanged knowing smiles with Roy.

Ah yes, the plan was still on.

It was time for Cinderella to go to the ball…

- - -

Kari felt both giddy and nervous as she wrote down Holland's name on the parchment. She felt like a rebellious child defying her parents for the first time. Free, at last, from the vile clutches of Jiraiya! She knew that once she made this move, there was no turning back. She had officially cut all ties with her former alliance. They were going to hate her from now on.

"I'm really sorry about this, but I just can't play for sixth out of six anymore. Holland, you're a great guy, which is why you made it so far. You're also a great leader, which is why we're targeting you first. Please don't take this personally. I just need to change my position in the game."

Shannon went next, casting a similar vote.

"Jiraiya will fall apart if they don't have a leader to keep them together. Thanks for immunity and thanks for the reward. Good luck."

Mai wrote down the third Holland vote of the night.

"Listen, I never betrayed Jiraiya until I found out you started a witch-hunt against me. I have been completely loyal to you guys, but you just didn't know how to appreciate a good ally. I can't believe it has to end this way. You brought everything onto yourself."

Faye was the first person to vote against her blonde counterpart.

"You miss your little friend Meryl so much that you'll join her on the jury tonight. I know you were the one who betrayed us last time. Don't deny it. I've been waiting to do this for a long time. You took away my idol and you almost took away my number one ally. Bitch, it's payback time."

Ditto Bulma.

"Mai, you were very shady and nobody in our alliance could trust you. Once you're gone, may be someone else can go on the rewards for a change!"

And Holland as well.

"This wouldn't happen if we have stayed as allies. Our relationship became too personal and you were distracting me from my game. Then, you gave me a perfectly legitimate reason to vote you out. Believe me, this is not my proudest moment. Goodbye, Mai, and good riddance."

The seventh person to vote was Harley. Although he hesitated writing a name down at first, the Pokemon Coordinator stuck to his alliance in the end. With a genuine frown and a devastated sigh, he held up his vote against Mai Valentine in front of the camera.

"I hate doing this. Mai, you're one of my best friends out here, but Faye is my soulmate from the beginning and I can't let her down. Faye, Bulma, and Holland all wanted you gone. I couldn't change their minds. Sorry for not putting up a better fight to save you. Girl, if only I have any other choice."

Finally, Roy stepped up to the voting shrine and predictably wrote down Holland's name. He flashed an amused grin at the camera.

"I predict there will be a tie tonight. If so, let the games begin."

- - -

Iruka finished reading out all eight votes. There were four against Mai and Holland each. And as far as the Jiraiya leader was concerned, that was four votes too many. He was pissed. Apparently, Mai discovered about their plans tonight and formed a counter-alliance to save herself. Fair enough. He couldn't blame her for that. But what excuses did Roy have for betraying Jiraiya? They were generous enough to offer him a spot in their alliance! And Kari – the seemingly honest and innocent Kari Kamiya – just flat out lied to his face about whom she was voting for tonight. Harley was right. She was the sneakiest one of them all. Never should have trusted her. Never should have trusted any of them.

They were all rats.

They all betrayed him.

Holland was so pissed.

"In the case of a tie, Holland and Mai will not vote again, and the others will have to decide between the two of them." Iruka explained carefully to the players, "If there's another deadlock, then we'll draw random rocks from a bag. Everyone except for the immune person will participate in this tiebreaker. Whoever draws the one purple rock will be taken out of the game."

Faye shuddered. The tiebreaker sounded dreadful. Although she was a gambler in life, she'd hate to be eliminated from the game by chance. She was glad she carried the immunity headband tonight.

"Holland and Mai will have the opportunity to give one last speech before we go to the re-vote…"

As Holland began his predictable spiel about why they should keep him in the game, Faye scanned her eyes across the tribe. If her calculations were correct, Jiraiya should have slightly better odds of surviving the tiebreaker, since there were three of them competing against the four outcasts. But drawing rocks out of a bag was just too unpredictable. Odds meant nothing. It was easy for Faye to risk the tie when she had the luxury of immunity. Everyone else, including her closest allies, were in danger of leaving tonight.

She looked over at Harley for his reaction. He was freaking out. Judging from his terrified expression, Faye can sense he wanted to change his vote. He was never keen about voting out Mai anyway. And now, he was totally panicking that he'd get eliminated by a random draw.

Harley began shaking her head at Faye. He couldn't do it. He just wasn't brave enough to go through all this.

_Stay TO-GE-THER!_ Faye mouthed the words with heavy emphasis on each syllable, hoping he would catch the importance of the message. If Jiraiya split up their votes during this very critical moment, they were all going to fall from power. Holland won't be the only victim tonight. Everyone in Jiraiya will suffer.

But Harley wasn't listening to her.

And he wasn't the only person Faye should be worrying about either.

Bulma Briefs sat on the far end of the bench, with her head down and her feet trembling. She refused to make eye contact with anybody. The strategist in her had already made up her mind. In fact, the moment Iruka announced they were drawing rocks, she knew there was one name she must write down to make everything right again.

Holland Novak was a goner.

- - -

In the end, Faye was the only one who didn't write down Holland's name in the re-vote.

Bulma was unapologetic about her decision. She did what was best for her game. She had no shame admitting that she was a selfish player who was only looking out for herself. There was never any chance she'd risk a random tiebreaker for Holland. Although she voted with Jiraiya for the past few rounds, Bulma was always a free agent at heart. She didn't believe in alliances, and thus, she wasn't upset when hers fell apart tonight. The inventor was a resourceful woman. She'll find a way to manage.

When Iruka read out the fourth and deciding vote against Holland this evening, the decision was final.

Jiraiya's reign of power was officially over.

"The ninth person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_..." Iruka paused for a while before flipping over the parchment. "Holland."

Startled as he was, the Jiraiya leader attempted his best at a classy and graceful exit. He patted a few players on the backs, and nodded his head approvingly at the rest of them. _Good game, good game, no bad feelings for stabbing an f'ing knife in my back!_ But Holland made his true feelings known when Roy reached over for a handshake, because he made sure to grab the colonel's hand with an iron tight grip. And when Kari flashed that puppy dog sad smile at him, Holland made sure to return the most menacing sneer he can muster.

Okay, may be he was feeling just a little _bitter_ about his ouster.

Nonetheless, Holland didn't hold any grudges against the other players, not even his two gutless allies who backstabbed him when the tough got going. And most importantly, he didn't fault Mai Valentine for what happened tonight, even if she orchestrated a large portion of it. After all, she was the woman he wronged the most. He understood the motivation behind her actions. He even commended her for the fighting spirit.

Mai didn't know it yet, but if she made the Final Two, she already secured Holland's jury vote in her pocket.

"Holland, the tribe has spoken." Iruka said solemnly as he snuffed out the torch. "It's time for you to go."

With one last wave, Holland made his departure on the walk of shame. And he soon disappeared from sight.

After Iruka gave his wise final words, he dismissed the castaways back to their camp. As Roy got up from his seat, Faye walked over and brushed past his shoulder. She leaned her head close to his ear. At first, he had the foolish assumption that she was flirting with him. But then, she whispered in a deep and ghastly voice, "Eat shit and die."

_Whoa._ Roy turned around with surprise. She made the words sound so severe that he hoped she was joking or taunting him of some sort. But her posture remained stiff, her scowl remained fierce, and her eyes remained bloodshot. Then, he realized she was being _serious_. She was seriously pissed off at him.

It took one painful tribal council experience for this to happen, but Faye Valentine had finally fallen out of love with Roy Mustang.

And that son of a bitch will soon learn the true meaning behind hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

- - -

_**Holland's Final Words**_

_Survivor_ was a challenging experience, both physically and mentally. The social aspect, however, was the part I found most difficult. I just didn't know whom to trust. I knew Harley and Bulma weren't reliable allies, but honest people like Guy and Kari were backstabbing me too. I always thought I was playing a cutthroat game, but I made a few bad decisions in the past. I trusted the wrong people and made the wrong alliances. If I can play this game all over again, I'd change my entire strategy. Perhaps I wouldn't be such an upfront leader. But what's the point? It's too late to fix my mistakes now.

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**The castaways get to see their loved ones…**  
_Iruka: Today, you're playing for love!_  
(A few voices scream out in joy. Kari jumps up and down excitedly.)  
_Iruka: Kari, meet your brother Tai!_

**Roy tries to mend a broken relationship…**  
_Faye: Leave me alone._  
(Roy smiles at her. Faye looks away.)  
_Faye: I'll never trust you again._

**And the new alliance threatens to fall apart…**  
_Roy: You aren't thinking logically!_  
_Shannon: Shut up._  
(Shannon shoots a dirty look at the colonel.)  
_Shannon: I'm tempted to change my vote just to spite Roy._

_**All this and more on – Episode 10: Waiting for a Friend  
**_

- - -

**Author's Notes:** Four more episodes until the end! It feels like I've been working on this project since forever, but I really appreciate my dedicated readership. Thanks for all the reviews, survey entries, and guestbook comments - I read them all! Now that Jiraiya is finally powerless, will they go out one by one, or is the game still open for all? We'll find out soon...


	10. Episode 10: Waiting for a Friend

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_A mysterious third vote at the last tribal council instilled paranoia in the Jiraiya alliance. Mai became a natural suspect. Despite Harley's protests, Faye and Holland both plotted to blindside the blonde. The actual culprit was Kari, who used her vote as a catalyst to improve her position in the tribe. Meanwhile, Faye guaranteed Roy power and security, but he went behind her back and informed Mai about Jiraiya's plan. She fought back by recruiting Roy, Kari, and Shannon in a counter alliance. The four of them forced a tie at tribal council. Bulma and Harley feared the purple rock tiebreaker and changed their votes, leading to Holland's demise._

_Seven castaways remain. Who will be voted out next?_

**Episode Ten: Waiting for a Friend**

Sarutobi Tribe **: Bulma **_(Dragonball Z)_, **Faye **_(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Harley** _(Pokemon)_, **Kari **_(Digimon)_, **Mai **_(Yu-gi-oh)_, **Roy **_(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon** _(Scrapped Princess)_

- - -

**DAY**** 28**

All morning, Faye Valentine had been waiting. Waiting for an apology. Waiting for an explanation. Waiting for a justification of some sort. But no matter how long she waited, the answers never came. Then, she became aggravated with waiting and told herself she would wait no more. Except five minutes later, she was waiting again. Waiting for him. Waiting for Roy Mustang.

Not once did he approach her.

Not once did he even look her way.

Faye sat from a safe distance and watched that wretched man, quite intently, observing his every move. She didn't know which stung more – either Roy was being unintentionally negligent, or he was ignoring her on purpose. It was a sharp contrast from all the attention he showered upon her in the past. Faye wasn't used to the sudden change. In fact, she was amazed at how much of a stranger he became overnight. Although from her perspective, it felt more like _she_ was the stranger in his eyes. She thought she knew Roy Mustang. But now he wouldn't talk to her. He wouldn't even look at her.

It was like she never existed. Like she was a nobody. Nobody Valentine.

Sitting on the other side of the camp, Roy was also waiting. He was waiting for the right timing, the right opportunity, and the right moment. He knew if he approached Faye too early, that would give her the satisfaction of knowing he was desperate. He really wasn't, of course. It was just an expression. Desperate wasn't the right word to describe somebody in a powerful alliance of four, presumably _the_ final four. Over the span of one night, he was now controlling the game. Not Faye. Not Harley. And certainly not Holland. Roy called the shots. Just like how it should have been from the start.

Yet, power meant nothing in Survivor if the million dollars was rewarded to another player in the end. As it stood right now, Roy had little chance of winning against his current allies. Mai was a dominant social player, Shannon was a well-respected hard worker, and Kari was just too darn likable for her own good. In comparison, Roy was nothing more than a foolish man who aligned with people he cannot beat. Although he believed he was the most deserving player by a long mile, a lot of potential vindictive jurors will be upset with his style. They'll probably vote out of spite, and not respect Roy as the puppeteer who masterminded their boots. It wasn't his fault if some people were bitter.

_**Roy:**_ _I can't win against Mai. Or Shannon. Or even Kari. My alliance with them was a fun diversion for one tribal council, but I don't have any prospects of going to the end with them. At least not all three of them. This alliance was just a stepping stone so I can get Holland out of the game. Now that he's gone, my options are free again._

What Roy needed most was a Final Two partner. On the final night, he wanted to sit beside somebody he can easily beat in a jury vote. Faye Valentine was obviously the ideal candidate, since she had done herself no favours over the past few days. She hated Tsunade and they hated her back. There were at least three players who will not give her the million dollars even if somebody held a gun to their heads. If Roy could have his way, he would protect Faye from the next few tribal councils until they were the final two. Unfortunately, there was one huge obstacle in his way.

_Harley_.

As long as the Pokemon Coordinator was still in the game, Faye will remain loyal to her friend until the bitter end. Despite her reputation, Harley was the one person she would not betray in this game. She remained forever indebted to him ever since he threw that sixth immunity challenge. Roy, sadly enough, was demoted to her number two. That meant she wouldn't mind going to the finals with him, but he came _after_ Harley on her wish list. And that really frustrated Roy. Harley came with Faye like a two-in-one package. He was the extra baggage that had to be carried along if Roy wanted to go to the end with his ideal Final Two partner.

_**Roy:**_ _I would love nothing more than to vote off Mai or Shannon next, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to take that risk. Right now, there're two options for me. Either I take the safe route and stick with my current alliance, or I could pull another fast one by aligning with Jiraiya again. My biggest concern is whether it's a smart move to vote with them, when I know for a fact that Faye and Harley are almost inseparable in this game…_

Faye will never be his final two partner unless Harley was out of the picture. But on the flip side, voting out Harley meant keeping Mai and Shannon longer in the game. Which also meant he was giving them more opportunity to turn against him at a future tribal council. It was a lose-lose situation. Roy perceived all three of them as threats. He just had to decide who intimidated him the most.

One thing was for certain: Roy needed Faye Valentine as much as she needed him. He was just too much of an egoist to ever admit this fact. Besides, it was important that he didn't come across as too desperate. He still wanted some control over her, so she would be the one begging _him_ for help. Power was a beautiful luxury in this game. And Roy knew exactly how to use it to his advantage. So for now, he decided to play the waiting game. He will wait until Faye was desperate enough to forgive him, and also to accept his help again. Judging by her body language, he predicted it wouldn't take too long. The bounty huntress looked on edge all morning.

It was only a matter of time before Faye came running towards him, with her tail tucked neatly in between her legs.

Unfortunately, this meant Faye's agony was prolonged until further notice. Roy wasn't giving her the time of the day, and neither were her tribe members. Everyone evaded her like she was a ticking bomb waiting to detonate at anyone in proximity. Had she been a friendlier person, perhaps they wouldn't be so cold to her. But they were all scared of the feisty bounty huntress. They sensed she was pissed off after last night's results. Nobody wanted to provoke her snide remarks and scornful blather, so they wisely avoided Faye, hoping she wouldn't cross their territory until she was in a better mood.

Separated. Alienated. Ostracized. All morning, Faye Valentine had been waiting. Waiting for companionship. Waiting for someone who liked her enough to say 'good morning' or simply a 'hello'. But no matter how long she waited, nobody came her way.

Except for one guy.

"Good morning, m'lady. Would your highness care for some breakfast in bed?"

Startled at first, Faye looked up at the first person who spoke to her this morning. Why of course. It couldn't be anybody else but Harley, who imitated a swish accent today for no reason in particular. Faye smiled thankfully at the Pokemon Coordinator. Even when she hit rock bottom, she could always depend on him for a good laugh.

"What's on the menu today, peasant?" Faye played along.

"The cuisine is exquisite as always." Harley held up a mango in each hand. "Ah yes, these tropical fruits are specially imported from an exotic and mysterious locale called Konoha. Commonly known as a mango to the working class, rumour has it the sweet nectar of these fruits can cure sore throats, stuffed noses, and the occasional smelly farts."

The bounty huntress burst out laughing. No matter how lonely she felt at the moment, Faye was grateful (if somewhat surprised) that she had an unconditional friend by her side. It was why she could never betray him even for a million dollars. At least one person in this tribe didn't view her as an enemy, a bad guy, or a total stranger.

Thank goodness for Harley.

Her _only_ friend in this tribe.

- - -

It was almost noontime when Roy made his move. Faye's head immediately perked up as she saw the colonel approaching her. He walked in a swift, confident stride, which she didn't mind, because she found it attractive when a man believed in himself. Except she wasn't supposed to have feelings for that backstabber anymore. Stop. Stop. Stop. She averted her eyes and focused on Harley instead. The two friends stayed inside the shelter for the past few hours – strategizing, gossiping, and occasionally sulking. While he was an amusing distraction, Faye knew about her priorities in this game. So, she whispered a few words into Harley's ear, he nodded his head with a slight smile, and then he was gone from the shelter. The bounty huntress was alone again when Roy made his arrival.

He sat down next to her on the floor. Their knees touched for a moment, but Faye consciously pulled away. She felt so tempted to touch him again. Stop. Stop. Stop!

"Leave me alone." Faye turned away, letting a strand of dark hair fall over her face.

Roy smirked. He thought these words seemed contradictory to somebody who instructed her friend to leave just as Roy was arriving. It seemed clear that she wanted a private chat with him.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Roy apologized right off the bet. It was what she wanted to hear the most. "Will you ever forgive me?"

"I'll never trust you again." Faye muttered.

"How can I make it up to you? Tell me. I'll do anything," said Roy.

"For starters, you can go _fuck_ yourself." Faye clenched her fists. "Then, I don't care what you do anymore, Roy Mustang. You're dead to me."

Roy let out a small sigh. He had hoped it would be easier than this. Of course, he didn't expect her to be all chummy with him at the drop of a hat, but that woman can sure hold a grudge. Was there any need for her to be so _rude_? Probably not, but that was just the way Faye was. Well, if she was going to be a vindictive little bitch, then two can play that game. Time for a different strategy.

"Strong words for somebody in your position." Roy sneered a little at her. He leaned in closer so she can hear his voice loud and clear. "You really want to get voted out, don't you?"

That got a reaction out of her. Faye spun her head so fast that he thought her neck might break from all the intensity. Then, she shot him the deadliest look, as if one glare from her soulless green eyes could rip him into a million pieces. No words were even necessary. Roy knew from instinct this was the expression of a _seriously_ pissed off woman.

"If I was you, I wouldn't be talking smack to my final lifeline in this game." Roy continued, baiting her. He will keep going until her last button was pushed. Hey, she asked for it. He tried to be nice at first. "If I was you, I wouldn't be giving attitude to the only guy who can change the outcome three days from now."

How _dare_ that arrogant piece of shit talk down to her like that!

"You're not me, so shut the hell up!" Faye yelled.

But she also realized every word out of his mouth was true. Faye hated it when he was right. He was always right. Reluctantly, she softened her tone of voice.

"What are you trying to say?" Faye asked, a little quieter this time.

"I don't know." Roy shrugged his shoulders and offered her a cheeky smile. "My mind wanders."

Now the guilt started to overwhelm her. She shouldn't have yelled at him like that. Even though he acted like a big jerk. Roy was her last hope – her _only_ hope – in surviving the next tribal council. She knew there was no way Mai, Kari, or Shannon will help her. Roy might, but only if she cooperated. Perhaps she shouldn't view him as her worst enemy from now on.

"I can save you, Faye, but only if you let me help." Roy now had a gentler smile on his face. Yet, she can't tell the difference between his expressions anymore. "I'm sorry, but I did what I had to do to advance. And so should you. Let go of your grudges. Free your demons. Play the game."

"If you think I'll forgive you just because you opened your pretty mouth, you can think again. I'm not weak like that," said Faye.

"I don't expect you to forgive me." Roy shrugged.

"I…I helped you so much in the past. You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me."

"Allow me to return the favour."

Faye sighed.

Well, who was she to say no to an offer like that?

"You better."

"I promise." Roy put an arm over her shoulder. She didn't flinch like she thought she would. "I promise you won't go home at the next tribal council."

He crossed his fingers behind his back.

It only took a minute, but he had already won her over again. Faye didn't want to forgive him, not this soon, but it wasn't like she had any other choice. Just as he had predicted, Faye felt far too powerless and desperate to deny his support. She hated him, yet she also loved him. But more importantly, she _needed_ him.

So, Faye waited.

She waited for Roy Mustang to seduce her again.

_**Faye**_: _Every time I look at Roy, I see a different man. I don't recognize him anymore. He's like a whole new person. I'm an idiot for ever trusting him in the first place. Nothing good ever happened to me when I trusted others. Yet, Roy is also the only one who can save me. He's willing to change his vote at the next tribal council, if the circumstances are right. Technically, he's my last shot to stay in the game._

The usual triumph and confidence was lacking in her voice. This was a very quiet, very reflective Faye – an introspective side of the bounty huntress very few had the chance to see.

_**Faye**_: _Right now, I feel really helpless. Really hopeless. I just feel less and less with each passing moment. It's like I'm in Tsunade again. I can't do anything but wait for my impending elimination. There's nothing to look forward to. There's nobody to talk to. There's no anything absolutely at all._

- - -

While Roy and Faye reconciled, another pair was clearing up any misunderstanding between them. Actually, it wasn't so much of a _misunderstanding_ as it was facing the dire consequences after last night's vote. When Harley woke up this morning, he knew he had some explaining to do. The powers had shifted, and like always, Harley moved fast to get with the program.

"Are you still mad at me? You know, for voting against you?" Harley asked with a look of uncertainty in his face.

"I should be asking you the same thing." Mai smiled, sheepishly.

The blonde was wary about this conversation at first, fearing yet another unpleasant quarrel with a good friend (shades of Meryl remained in Mai's head). Fortunately, Harley was not the argumentative type. Despite his flamboyant personality and extroverted personality, Harley didn't appreciate public confrontations. This was why he didn't get along with outspoken characters like Asuka and Guy, who thrived on exactly that. The Pokemon Coordinator was more of a behind-the-scenes kind of guy. When he needed to gossip, he did it behind people's backs. And when he needed to resolve a problem, he did it behind closed curtains. There was no need to make this talk with Mai a vivid spectacle for the world to see. And for that, she was very thankful.

"I tried to talk them out of it, but they wouldn't listen to me. Especially Holland. It was so frustrating!" Harley explained, "If I had any other choice, I wouldn't have voted you out. And you don't know how happy I am that you got to stay. That was why I changed my vote in the first place!"

Mai watched Harley's animated expressions as he spoke. His face was like an extravagant performance sometimes. He put extra emphasis on every other word, and he enunciated every syllable like he was reading a dramatic soliloquy from a script. At the same time, Harley was quite a convincing talker, even though Mai was sceptical of his words. She didn't know whether to trust her friend's intentions or not. How hard did Harley fight for her to stay? It couldn't be that much if he voted against her anyway.

"It's alright. It's all in the past now." Mai said, tossing her hair back casually. "I'm cool with it. Let's put this misunderstanding behind us."

"I always knew you were an understanding person!" Harley grinned. It was never too early in the morning for a little brownnosing. _And_ a little lying. Harley didn't switch his vote yesterday because he wanted to save Mai. He did it to save his own skin, fearing a purple rock tiebreaker.

"Now that's out of the way, I've a proposal for you," said Mai.

"I don't want to vote for Faye!" Harley gasped. He immediately jumped to the worst assumption. "She's next, isn't she!?"

"You don't have to. We get the honour of voting her out." Mai flashed an impish grin at the Pokemon Coordinator, even though he didn't find her remark all that funny. "By the way, it'd be a whole lot easier to campaign if you're willing to sell out Faye. Just so you know."

Harley's smile faded a little, but he worked hard to sustain it on his face. He pressed his lips together and breathed in some air through his mouth.

"I know what you're thinking, Harley. But I can't save both of you. I'm sorry. It's just not possible."

"If you vote with us again, it'd be possible…" Harley suggested.

"Never." Mai responded immediately. "I never walk into the same pothole twice."

He bit his lips, not looking convinced.

"Surely there is a way…" Harley began, but he got cut off.

"Actually, that's not what my proposal is about." Mai interjected. She wanted to get back on track. "Look, either Faye goes or you go. Here's my proposal to you, Harley. What if I keep you safe at the next tribal council? In return, will you do me a favour?"

"I guess so." Harley's shoulders slumped in defeat. That didn't sound like a very reassuring answer to Mai, so he injected some fake enthusiasm into his voice. "Sweetheart, if you can guarantee me safety, I'll do you more than just a favour!"

Mai smiled. That was more like it.

"I need your help to vote out Roy, two tribal councils from now."

"Done."

Harley's response was so quick that it almost startled Mai for a second. Soon, the two of them exchanged knowing smiles with each other. She knew she could depend on her friend Harley for a vote. Taking down Roy would be a much easier feat than she imagined. Mai already had four willing votes all lined up. Roy Mustang was _done_ alright.

_**Mai:**_ _I don't trust Roy. Never did. I guess part of the reason is because his strategy is so identical to mine. We know how to work wonders on the opposite sex, and we both backstabbed a lot of people in the past. I know sure as hell that I can't be trusted, so I've my suspicions about Roy. He's probably looking for a way out of this alliance. Roy is a rat. He's always scrambling for a better opportunity, a better position, and a better alliance. Just like me._

She smiled sheepishly at the camera.

_**Mai:**_ _I think I want to take out Roy sooner than later. Not at the next tribal council, mind you, but may be the one after that. Because the longer he stays in the game, the antsier I feel about a knife in my back. Remember rule number one of Survivor: backstab the backstabber before he backstabs you._

"Don't tell anyone about this, okay? It's a secret between you and me." Mai put an index finger over her lips.

"Keeping secrets is my specialty!" Harley winked.

"No, I'm serious. I know your shit, Harley. If you tell anyone about this, the deal is off. And I'll vote your ass out." Mai warned.

"You can trust me!"

Harley was telling the truth this time. He had no intentions of spilling the beans to anyone. Like a child given a set of privileges, the Pokemon Coordinator felt _tempted_ by his newfound power, but ultimately decided to remain grateful to his saviour. He didn't even want to share this good news with Faye. His best friend. His partner in crime. His alliance buddy to the end. Harley was looking out for himself now, and he knew he must stay in Mai's good graces. She already promised him final five or beyond. If he stayed put and listened to her orders, he can go a long way in this game.

So, the deal was sealed. Faye Valentine had a three day life expectancy until she will be inevitably voted out at the next tribal council. The object of her affections, Roy Mustang, will follow soon after.

_And then_, Harley smiled giddily. In his head, he could already picture a secret three-person alliance between himself, Shannon, and Bulma. _All it takes is a little future planning and a lot of patience, but the game will belong to me again._

- - -

Bulma felt worried about her odds of surviving the next tribal council. She didn't know why she was worried, especially since her name hadn't been mentioned anywhere yet. And surely there had to be bigger fish to fry than a harmless woman with no alliances and no loyalties. But she was still worried, and she had every right to be. After all, both Harley and Faye were guaranteed safety from the people in power, which put Bulma's position in the game at peril. She was definitely vulnerable, and worst of all, she had no idea how much danger she was in.

"So, what did you guys talk about?" Bulma asked the Pokemon Coordinator after he finished his not-so-discreet conversation with Mai.

"Nothing groundbreaking." Harley waved his hand in dismissal. "I think she's still angry at me. I'm so screwed."

"Come on, Harley! Give me the scoop! Who's their next target? Is it Faye?" Bulma pleaded.

"I honestly don't know. That bitch wouldn't tell me anything!" Harley gave a devastated sigh. "I was supposed to be her friend, so she felt really betrayed by me. I'm screwed, Bulma! More screwed than Kari was when she got caught double-crossing Holland! More screwed than Guy in a barber shop!"

Harley stayed true to his word for once and didn't leak one word of information to Bulma. Bless her heart, but he knew she can never be trusted with a secret. And if he wasn't going to tell Faye about the big news, he sure as hell wasn't going to tell blabbermouth Bulma. The inventor felt really frustrated, because she knew there had to be some gossip he was withholding from her. She can sense it. Harley wasn't being entirely truthful with her.

And that pretty much summarized the biggest problem in Bulma's game: she didn't have any honest allies or useful connections, so she always remained uninformed until it was too late. Nobody would tell her anything important unless they needed her for an ulterior motive. In her tribe members' eyes, she was either Bulma the extra vote, or Bulma the non-entity.

After spending a few minutes talking in circles with her Coordinator friend, Bulma finally gave up and left him alone. Fine, if he didn't want to tell her anything, then she will just have to create something for everybody to talk about. A scandal. A nasty rumour. A totally untrue piece of gossip. Anything to get people talking. She was the queen of stirring the pot, after all. Trouble practically flowed in her blood.

The inventor thought about her plan of attack for a while, but then smiled when she identified little Kari from a distance. The petite DigiDestined was returning to camp after retrieving treemail for today's reward challenge. She wasn't accompanied by anyone. And Bulma's smile grew wider. Perfect. Now was the best time to prey upon the vulnerable and defenceless young girl.

"Care for a walk?" Bulma asked, running up to the DigiDestined. Kari seemed surprised that somebody had been waiting for her.

"But I already got the treemail." Kari was puzzled with the innocuous request.

"Let's take a walk." Bulma smiled. She linked arms with Kari and steered her towards the direction of the forest. "We don't talk enough."

"Bulma, what is this about?" Kari narrowed her eyes at the older woman.

"Honey," Bulma flashed a maternal smile. "I think you need to know all the bad things Harley has said about you in the past…"

- - -

Iruka Umino wasn't a family man, but not by choice. He lost both his parents while they were protecting the village of Konoha. He never forgot what they looked like. Every now and then, the image of their compassionate smiles would flicker in front of his eyes. Then, it would fade away and reality sank back in again. Despite his tragic childhood, Iruka grew up as a cheerful and relatively normal young man. Yet, his heart was always flooded with emotions whenever he witnessed a family reunion.

Now, imagine how overwhelmed he must feel to introduce not one, not two, but _seven_ family reunions at all once.

He wasn't bitter though. He wasn't angry either. He wasn't even upset. In fact, Iruka was actually overwhelmed with _joy_. He was genuinely happy for these players. Loved ones reunited at last. He couldn't picture a more fulfilling scenario. A smile crossed his face just by thinking about it. They didn't call him the nice guy of Konoha for nothing, after all.

"Today, you're playing for love!" Iruka announced.

He exclaimed it in his most enthusiastic voice, hoping the other players will react the same way. Most of them didn't get it at first. They just stared at their host with blank expressions. They didn't understand what he meant by 'playing for love'.

Until a certain goggle-head leader with big brown hair came running out of the forest.

"Kari, meet your brother Tai!" Iruka exclaimed.

A few voices screamed out in joy, just for the sheer surprise of the news. Kari shouted the loudest. She began jumping up and down excitedly, almost like a maniac, but she didn't care how crazy she looked right now. Because there was Tai! Tai! TAI! **TAI!**

The two siblings ran up to each other and embraced in a friendly hug. Iruka looked on with a satisfied smile. His eyes were already getting a little misty.

"Wow. Just wow. You look like hell." Tai bit his lips, which formed a tiny concerned frown. "Why are you so skinny? Aren't they feeding you properly?"

"Tai, this is _Survivor_!" Kari laughed.

"I know, but still…" Tai's voice trailed off for a moment. He then shook his head and grinned – that big, goofy, familiar grin. "Well, it's really great to see my little sis again. We'll talk later. First, we win this challenge."

"We'll see, we'll see." Kari smiled as humbly as she could.

Mai's good friend Joey came out next. He was a tall, goofy looking blonde with a thick Brooklyn accent. A few players eyed him suspiciously. He seemed harmless enough. But given her notorious reputation, they didn't doubt for a second that 'friend' was a very loose term used here.

Then, there was Shannon's younger sister. Pacifica Casull, seventeen-years-old, was a beautiful girl with silky blonde hair, big bright eyes, and a radiant white smile. She looked absolutely nothing like her older brother, a fact that surprised some of the players. Nonetheless, the two siblings seemed very close. Shannon even cracked one of his rare smiles when his sister walked out, after almost clumsily tripping over a rock.

Harley's companion was Jessie, dressed in her infamous Team Rocket outfit from head to toe. She walked – no, strutted – with utmost confidence, almost like she was posing in front of the cameras. Of course, Jessie was not a reality television virgin, nor was she a stranger to the _Survivor_ franchise. Harley was kind of glad they brought a fellow Coordinator out here, even though they weren't the closest of friends. He took solace in the fact that at least it wasn't _May_.

"Next up…" Iruka teased the antsy castaways with a short pause. "Bulma, I know you're dying to see your son again. Here's Trunks!"

Trunks emerged from the forest with a confident smile on his stern looking face. Bulma proudly smiled back. Her son carried an air of maturity despite being just eighteen-years-old. Tall, handsome, and muscular – he looked like the whole package. He was a man's man, but also a ladies man as well. Once Bulma retired, she'll pass the Capsule Corporation to her responsible son. She had no worries about putting her business into his hands. Trunks had his father's hands.

To demonstrate what a _cool_ mom she was, Bulma didn't give her son the obligatory hug. Instead, they just exchanged high-fives in the air. The other players looked on, impressed.

"Wow, Bulma. I didn't know you've such a hot son. Is he single?" Mai whistled.

"Mai Valentine, you bettah mind your mannahs!" Joey hollered.

"Hands off." Bulma beamed, "My son is going to marry some _nice_ girl of a respectable education and a reputable background."

"Ooooh, snap!" Tai chuckled, eyeing a slightly offended Mai.

Only two left. Roy waited patiently for his loved one. He wondered about which visitor will come for him. It was probably a subordinate of his, no doubt, but which one? Behind his back, he crossed his fingers for _the_ one.

Riza Hawkeye looked tense and stiff as she marched forward – yes, she marched as if she was still wearing her military uniform. She wasn't accustomed to the cameras. But like a trooper, she never lost her composure. The respectable Riza extended her hand forward for a respectful handshake with her respected colonel. Roy stared at her hand with an amused expression.

"Everyone, please welcome Roy's _girlfriend_, Riza!" Iruka declared.

"No. I'm merely a lieutenant under his command." Riza was quick to correct. She dismissed the looks of disbelief amongst the crowd. Mm-hmm. As if anyone would believe her word over Mustang's well-known womanizing background.

"Come here, you." Roy, without warning, grabbed his girlfriend by the waist. He embraced her in a deep and affectionate hug. Smiling, he whispered into her ear, "I miss the feel of your body, Riza."

"Please, sir. Not here." Riza pushed him away immediately. She had her no-nonsense persona to maintain. Roy just shrugged his shoulders, looking a little hurt.

Finally, out walked Faye's companion – Jet Black. He was a big, burly man with a thick beard, a bald head, and an intimidating face that can scare off small puppies. Jet was actually a rather gentle man, but one couldn't deduce that on first glance. He and Faye exchanged nods of acknowledgement to each other, and that was it. The silence which passed between them was almost chilling. Jet just wasn't keen on talking. And Faye wasn't keen on talking to _him_.

"Last but not least, we have Mr. Jet here with us. He is Faye's boyfriend, I believe?"

"What!?" Jet sharply turned his head to snap at the host. "Hell no! We're just friends!"

"Roommates." Faye corrected.

"Coworkers." Jet added.

"More like acquaintances, really." Faye finished with a nod.

To Faye's horror, the other players were staring at her in the same way they perceived Riza earlier. They all thought she was lying. They didn't have any reason to believe otherwise. _Oy vey._

"Oh my word! Girl, I didn't know you were into that type of guys!" Harley whispered loudly.

"Shut up. Just shut up." Faye hanged her head in shame.

- - -

After the families and friends were reunited, Iruka proceeded to explain today's reward challenge. It was a simple game of catch. The castaways will throw wicker balls from the left side of the field, while their loved ones attempt to catch them in their baskets on the right. In the span of three minutes, they will try to score as many catches as possible. Dropped balls were obviously not included in the final tally, nor were balls thrown from any other players. A victor will be determined by whoever has the most balls in the end.

"The winner and his or her loved one will get to ride on a hot air balloon across the beautiful village of Konoha. Snacks and tea are provided. Afterwards, your loved one will stay at camp overnight and share with you part of the _Survivor_ experience." Iruka smiled at the castaways. "In addition, the winner of this reward challenge will get to bring one guest of their choice. That guest will enjoy all the same benefits. Worth playing for?"

"Yeahhhhh!"

"Okay, let's get started! Players, to the left; loved ones, to the right!"

After all fourteen people got into positions, Iruka began the challenge. Wicker balls were immediately launched into the air and tossed to the other side. Loved ones scrambled back and forth to catch the balls with their large, clunky baskets. Riza caught her partner's first throw, as did Joey.

"Mom, you have to throw the ball a little higher!" Trunks instructed. "I can't catch it if it's already on the ground!"

Bulma followed her son's advice for the next throw. He caught it in his basket with ease. They too were on the scoreboard.

This was a challenge that required communication from both sides of the parties. Those who cooperated well naturally succeeded in the challenge. Mai and Joey surprisingly took the early lead. She barked out the signal, while he scrambled to chase after the wicker balls. They developed an efficient system after a while, and it showed in their results. Bulma and her son were also doing very well, but that was more accomplishment on his behalf. Trunks was quick enough on his feet to catch most of his mother's bad throws.

"Over here, Kari!" Tai raised his basket high in the air. "Throw it on the count of three! One! Two! Three!"

The Kamiya siblings worked well together, and Tai caught nearly all of his sister's throws, but they were moving too slowly compared to the other teams. They took their sweet time arranging their positions, while everyone else just threw their balls left and right without order. Kari only hoped her patience will pay off in the end. She _really_ wanted to go on this reward with Tai.

On the other hand, Shannon was struggling to connect on the same level as his sibling. He threw the balls perfectly in the air, but she just wasn't able to catch them. His sister was never much of an athlete.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Pacifica repeated over and over again after each missed throw.

"It's alright. Let's try one more time." Shannon sighed. Whatever hope he had for winning this challenge at the beginning was long gone. There was no chance they could catch up now.

Another team that struggled was Roy and Riza, which annoyed her to no end, because she was supposed to be her colonel's other half. What kind of henchwoman did she make if she couldn't even get in sync with her commander? In reality, Roy was discreetly throwing this challenge. If he wanted, he could have won this in a heartbeat. He and Riza easily had the besst cooperation out of everyone. But Roy had no desire to leave camp for a few hours, and he refused to let the other players plot behind his back. So, he aimed to lose this challenge much to his partner's dismay.

"To the left! To the left! To the left!"

"Catch it! CATCH IT! CAAAAATCH ITTTT!!"

"No, take a few steps backwards! Yeah, that's right! Now, stand still!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Hey! Watch where you're throwin'! I almost lost an eye ovah here!"

The three minutes quickly came and go. Iruka gave the signal to end the challenge. The last few balls threw across the air, but none made it into their respective baskets. Then, the challenge was officially over. All that was left to do was for Iruka to tally the results.

"We'll start with Shannon and his sister's basket." Iruka walked over to the two Casull siblings. Pacifica appeared quite nervous while the host counted. "One, two, three…"

Seven wicker balls in total. A few more than Shannon originally thought. Yet, he didn't know how well he had done until he compared the results to everyone else.

"Next up – Roy and Riza. One, two, three…"

Ten. Even though the colonel tried to throw the challenge, he still managed to score more points than Shannon. Roy flashed a half-smile at his partner. Bless Riza. She looked so disappointed with herself. If only she knew the whole truth.

Mai and Joey surprised everyone when Iruka announced they caught an impressive total of twenty balls. Who knew the two blondes could work so well together? Even Mai seemed a little shocked, but Joey was already grinning like an idiot. They had this. They had this in the bag. Literally.

Kari and Tai scored fifteen points. It was a respectable number, but not enough to beat the current leaders. Tai frowned and apologized to his sister.

Faye and Jet came short with twelve, while Harley and Jessie did astoundingly bad with just three balls between them. That was precisely a rate of one ball per minute. Harley shrugged it off. He didn't want to spend the day with Jessie anyway. He only hoped the other players will see what a horrible competitor he was.

Finally, it was down to Bulma and Trunks, the formidable mother and son duo. The number to beat was twenty wicker balls. Bulma, who never won a single individual challenge yet, could only hope her athletic son was able to cover for her shortcomings.

"One, two, three…"

Bulma muttered a quick prayer under her breath.

"…fifteen, sixteen, seventeen…"

Iruka then pulled out the final wicker ball from the basket.

"Eighteen. That's not enough to beat Mai and Joey." Iruka looked up at the inventor with a sad smile. "Congratulations! We have a winner!"

"YAHOOOOOOOO!" Joey hollered in excitement.

"Hail the reward queen, Mai Valentine!" Roy remarked. He held up four fingers in his right hand. "Four. That's four rewards she participated in. You're the reward queen indeed!"

Mai just laughed and did a little mock curtsy.

Iruka then reminded the blonde she can choose one additional player to join her on the reward.

"I'm going to pick Kari. She looks like she really wants to see her brother." Mai smiled.

"Thank you!" Kari buried her face in her hands. She felt so overwhelmed with gratefulness. Tai wasted no time running up to his sister and giving her a big brotherly squeeze. "Mai, thank you so much!"

Now came the sad part. The other loved ones had to say goodbye to each other. It was an emotional farewell, especially with Pacifica crying into her brother's arms. Bulma also looked quite upset. She was so close to winning, but no cigar. Oh well. She gave Trunks a slap on the back and sent him on his way home. She had promised her son that she won't embarrass him by crying.

"Win this for me, Mom." Trunks waved one last goodbye.

"No worries. I definitely will." Bulma grinned. "It's a promise!"

- - -

Late afternoon, a light blue hot air balloon soared across the cloudless Konoha skies. Inside, it contained four passengers, all of them absorbing the beautiful view from above. Kari wished she had a camera with her, so she can capture this picturesque moment and treasure it forever. She never thought much of Konoha as a locale until now. The forests, the mountains, and the village all came together as one. It was like watching a miniscule civilization right in front of his eyes. All those little people and little houses with big dreams and big spirits. Oh, how she wished she had a camera!

"No strategy." Kari made one guideline very clear at the beginning of the reward. "I just want to have a good time. That's it. I don't ask for much."

Mai nodded her head in complete understanding. She respected Kari's wishes and never mentioned about the game once during their ride. Those conspiracy theories about Roy will have to wait for another time.

"Look, there's the hot springs I visited the other night." Mai leaned over and pointed her finger at a particular direction below. The others followed her gaze. "And there's the inn I lived in a week ago. Hell, I've been to a lot of places! I'm becoming quite the Konoha tourist, aren't I?"

"You can almost work as a tour guide." Joey joked.

After enjoying the scenery for a while, the four of them sat down for a nice afternoon snack and tea. As promised, there was a picnic basket provided, consisting of chocolate, cookies, and biscuits. It wasn't much, but Kari thought this might be the best food she ever tasted. She made sure to ration some of it so she can bring leftovers back to the tribe. Tai dismissed the silly idea. He encouraged his frail sister to each as much as possible.

"You have to fatten up! Here, you can have my portion." Tai dropped a few chocolate cookies onto his sister's face. She stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm worried about you, sis. You're so skinny. You don't look healthy!"

"Don't be so embarrassing, Tai!" Kari sounded flustered.

"Your asthma hasn't been acting weird, right?" Tai asked.

"No, I'm not made of glass! I can take a little beating!" Kari raised her fists in the air and shook them a few times. "My body is fine. I'm not _dying_ out here. They won't let me die."

Tai nodded his head. Then he put a couple more cookies on her plate. Just to be on the safe side.

"Kari is a good girl. She stays out of trouble's way." Mai put in her two cents although nobody asked her for it. "We all take care of her. Not that she needs to be taken care of. Hell, she's probably more responsible than most of the players."

"Mai is like a big sister to me." Kari smiled.

"Yeah lady, you better look after Kari's well-being. Or else."

"Tai!"

_**Kari:**_ _He didn't say it out loud, but Tai seemed very surprised that I've lasted this long. I don't blame him. I wake up every morning and I wonder to myself, how am I still here? There're times I feel like I'm out of my league. I don't like backstabbing. I don't like lying. I don't belong here at all. And unlike Tai, these people aren't looking out for me. Actually, I don't expect them to. I may be the youngest one, but I never asked to be babysat. I think I'll be fine on my own. _

She sat cross-legged on the ground, with both hands clutched around her knees. Kari looked up at the camera with a tiny smile.

_**Kari:**_ _Hey, I lasted this long, right? I can't be that bad at the game!_

For the latter part of their reward, Joey and Tai will spend one night living with the Sarutobi tribe. This didn't sound like much of a reward, joked Joey, who later added he didn't sign up to sleep with a bunch of bugs and critters. As the group hiked back to camp, he grew more and more anxious about the living conditions. He was even beginning to regret winning the challenge in the first place.

"What's your damage, Veronica?" Mai shot a dispassionate glance at her friend. "You've camped before. This isn't your first time living in a forest."

"Hey, it ain't camping unless there're tents, sleeping bags, and insect repellent! I'm a city kid! I never claimed to be frickin' Tarzan heah!" Joey argued.

"Don't worry, our camp is safe. It's very nice too. We put a lot of time into it." Kari smiled reassuringly.

"Are there any wolves around this joint?" Joey questioned.

"No, don't be silly! There aren't any wolves!" Kari paused for a moment before adding, "There're snakes though."

"I'm outta heah." Joey instantly lost a little colour in his face. He pretended to turn around, but Kari grabbed him by the hand, laughing hysterically.

"I'm teasing you! It's fine! It's fine!"

While Kari and Joey goofed off in the front, Tai loitered cautiously at the back of the pack. He watched his sister's figure with a concerned gaze. Despite her reassurances, she still looked too ghastly skeletal in his eyes. She hadn't the best of health in the past and he was afraid her body will break down in the final days of the game. Mai, with her womanly intuition, sensed Tai's distress over his little sister, so she walked up next to him for a quiet chat. Kari's actual brother and symbolic sister chatting together – it seemed appropriate enough.

"Is she doing alright in terms of the game? How's she getting along with everyone?" Tai asked, biting his lips. "I'm afraid people might bully Kari because of her age. And she's too nice for her own good."

"We're allies. You can count on me." Mai nodded.

"Yeah, I trust you. You seem like an honest lady. Kari really likes you too, I can tell." Tai nodded his head a few times. He pressed his lips together to form a thin smile. "Just take care of my sis, okay? I hope you and her can go to the end together or something."

"I have every intention to do so," said Mai.

Sighing, Tai shifted his focus back to the young girl in front of him. He wasn't even a contestant in _Survivor_, but he was already cutting deals for his little sister behind her back. He felt it was his duty to do so as a brother. Tai didn't really trust Mai one hundred percent, nor did he trust any of the shady characters in her tribe. The biggest problem was so many people gave off a bad vibe. They all had eyes on the money and will do anything to win. Tai was worried these ruthless players will take advantage of his little sister. He feared that Kari's incessant optimism will lead to her eventual downfall in this game.

Poor Kari, who always saw the good in people. Even though most of them can only see the bad in her.

Tai was amazed that such a naïve little girl survived this long.

- - -

Mai and Harley were friends again.

No sooner after the Pokemon Coordinator proclaimed they were on rocky terms with each other, he immediately hanged onto Mai by every word that comes out of her mouth, like he used to back when they were in Jiraiya together. Old habits sure were hard to go away. It didn't help matters that Mai brought back to camp her two handsome gentlemen friends, who looked like the types to pass out overnight after a few sips of alcohol and wake up the next morning without any memory of what happened. Harley knew right away that he'd get along with Tai and Joey.

"Can we get some alcohol ovah here!?" Joey hollered.

"Somebody fetch this boy his drink!" Harley echoed.

"You want beer? You just ask the Queen." Mai said jokingly, gesturing her thumb to herself.

The two new visitors had no problems fitting in with the Sarutobi tribe. Tai kept everyone entertained with his funny stories, while Joey's enthusiasm echoed across camp. Currently, they were doing a stand-up comedy routine together. A small group of players gathered around them, and everybody was in hysterics. Harley spent the rest of the night laughing at their jokes, and getting _buddy-buddy_ with them in hopes of something more. As a result, he also spent a lot of time rekindling his friendship with Mai again. He didn't even mind that he had to mingle with that annoying little Kari in the process.

"Harley, be honest. On a scale of one to ten, how much of a catch am I?" Joey asked.

"Six, if I'm being generous." Harley replied cheekily.

"Pfft." Mai made a dismissive noise. She motioned a thumbs-down gesture. "Joey downgrades to a three every time he opens his mouth. And the number gets lower with every word he says."

"Whaaaaat!? Shut up, Mai!" Joey exclaimed.

"See? I think he just hit a negative number right there." Mai grinned. And Harley, sitting beside her, giggled uncontrollably. The blonde could snark with the best of them. Tonight reminded him how much he appreciated his friendship with Mai Valentine. She's _great_, bless her. He told himself that any animosity between them must be forgotten and forgiven. How on earth could he have ever voted for her?

_**Harley:**_ _Mai is an enormous bitch for betraying Jiraiya, but hey, who can blame her? We started the witchhunt first and it backfired in our faces. Now we have to pay. I'm not too worried about going next, but Faye is in a lot of trouble. She's like on everyone's shit list! I want to save her, but I don't want to get my feet wet either, you know? Oh dear heavens. Look at me. Talking as if I have any say in the final decision!_

He gave a light chuckle at the camera.

_**Harley:**_ _You know what they say…if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! I simply adore Faye, she's my girl, but this weasel has to look out for himself. She's a goner and there's nothing I can do about it. How can I save anyone when I can't even save myself?_

Then, Faye walked by them. And the laughter immediately died away. A solemn and unwelcoming silence replaced the previous jovial atmosphere. Faye could catch a hint. She felt more and more unwanted with each passing second. Rolling her eyes, she thought – just for a brief moment – how awkward it would be if she just joined their little clique whether they invited her or not. She ultimately decided against the idea of making herself any more unpopular with the tribe. Of course, she had nothing to lose even if she tried.

Harley shot a forlorn look at the bounty huntress. He wanted to invite her to join the festivities, but he also understood she was not a popular woman right now. As much as he adored Faye, he also needed to watch out for his own reputation too. Harley tried to spend time with the much alienated woman, though he could only do so much without raising suspicions. He was Faye's friend, yet he also wanted to be Mai's friend. It was not an easy position for the Pokemon Coordinator.

Instead of joining the others, Faye just retreated inside the shelter and sulked. Bulma was there as well, laid down on her back. She wasn't asleep even though she had her eyes closed. Unlike Faye, the inventor wasn't shunned by the group, but rather chose not to participate with the group. Normally a sociable person, Bulma just wasn't in the mood today. She couldn't keep up with the young people sometimes, even for a _cool_ mom like her. Besides, Bulma was feeling a little depressed ever since she lost the reward challenge. She had been looking forward to spending some quality time with her son.

"Mai blows." Bulma opened one eye when she noticed Faye's presence in the shelter. She had been waiting for her 'venting buddy' to arrive. "In more ways than one."

"Still bitter about that second place, huh?" Faye turned her head towards the inventor. She caught the not-too-subtle dig.

"I came so close to winning. So damn close." Bulma sighed, also unenthusiastically. "But of course, Mai won. Like she always does."

"At least she earned it for once. She didn't have to suck off some guy to go on the reward." Faye muttered.

The two women met eye to eye for a moment. Then, both of them snickered together at what seemed like a very naughty joke.

"Cheap shot." Bulma grinned for the first time in hours.

"My specialty." Faye admitted, shamelessly.

"I don't like her either. I think she's trash. What kind of self-respecting woman goes for every swinging dick out there?" Bulma made a face. "After the game is over, Mai Valentine needs to crawl back to the trailer or wherever she came from, 'cause she ain't gonna get a dime out of me!"

"Harley is licking her ass at the moment." Faye shot a bitter glance at the pair, laughing so happily by the campfire. She was so spiteful that woman stole her best friend away.

"Harley is Harley. This should come as no surprise." Bulma smirked a little. "He told me that Mai was angry with him this morning." She rolled her eyes. "Yeah right."

"They probably made a deal or something." Faye seethed.

"You think so?"

"I know so. I know Harley inside and out. Trust me, he made a deal with Mai the first chance he got. Otherwise, he would have been bitching about her right here with us." Faye smirked smugly. "Can't blame him for saving himself though. Just wished he didn't have to suck up to Mai."

Bulma appeared somewhat pensive about that remark. She made a mental note to herself. That little bit of information might come as useful later on in her smear campaign against Harley.

"We're gunning for her at the next tribal council. I don't care if it's a smart move or not. This is personal. _Eff_ Mai!" Faye snickered.

"It won't matter. We don't have the numbers." Bulma sighed.

"Who said we don't have the numbers?" Faye tossed her an odd look.

"_What_? Is there something I should know?" Bulma gasped in delight. Her face practically lit up upon hearing those hopeful words. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"Two words: Roy Mustang." Faye smiled confidently at the inventor. "He'll help us vote out Mai at the next tribal council."

_Roy Mustang_… Bulma repeated the name in her head. He seemed like a charming and likable guy, from the casual conversations they shared so far. She never discussed strategy with him though, mostly because he was not in a position of power. The dynamics changed since then, and he possibly held the most control over the tribe at the moment. The King of Sarutobi. He was probably running this game. Bulma had no doubts that he was capable of doing so. _What an interesting man…_

And so, come tomorrow, she decided to make a new friend.

- - -

**DAY 29**

A small gust blew gently against the leaves on the tree branches. Birds were chirping. Insects were buzzing. Mai was peeling a mango by the campfire, alone. Despite the peaceful atmosphere, something ceremonial was about to take place in Sarutobi. But nobody will know it happened except for two tribe members.

None of this would have occurred if Mai stayed at the campsite and kept an eye on her surroundings. However, Joey and Tai were leaving Konoha this morning, which meant she must depart camp to give them a proper send-off. Kari, naturally, accompanied her. The two girls grew quite close over the past few days. People were beginning to take notice of their close bond. But for now, their friendship was still perceived on a harmless level. No one thought about breaking up the pair for that reason alone.

_Alone._

Bulma opened one eye, waking up from her pretend slumber. Almost everybody was absent from camp by now. Mai and Kari were seeing off their loved ones. Harley and Faye were out somewhere strategizing. And Shannon was working his ass off, as always. Yes, she was alone with just one other person at camp. This was her time to strike.

_**Bulma:**_ _When I'm not happy with my position at camp, I only know how to do one thing. I stir the pot. I stir it like crazy. And I'll keep stirring until the plans finally go my way._

She often referred to herself as the third forgotten member of Jiraiya. Everybody remembered Faye and Harley, but seldom had the inventor's name registered on anybody's radar. Looking back, Bulma admitted she didn't make a lot of impact in this game. Not even the time she voted against the norm (thanks Kari!). Since her one and only gutsy move failed ages ago, she hid behind the shadows, waiting for a big opportunity to come. Although her passive strategy worked so far, Bulma wasn't impressed. And the jury won't be impressed either. Unless she wowed them in the final days of the game.

_**Bulma:**_ _Right now, things are definitely not going my way. I'm expendable in this tribe…meaning that if anyone brings up my name, nobody will defend me and I'm a goner. Uh, I think Faye is the current target, but what if she wins immunity? Or what happens after she is voted out? Unfortunately, Harley is more popular than me, which is why I've been subtly influencing people to vote him out instead. I've worked on Kari so far, but she's kind of useless in the grand scheme of things. I need to work on the big guns. I need to convince Roy that I should stay over Harley and Faye._

When the inventor made sure nobody else was present, she nudged Roy's shoulder with her foot. The colonel was still asleep. Bulma nudged him again. His body stirred for a moment.

"Just a little gentler, Riza." Roy mumbled in his sleep.

Bulma made a strange face. Then, she nudged him again.

"Roy, we need to talk."

"I don't want to."

"This is urgent."

"File it under next Tuesday."

Grumbling, an annoyed Bulma jabbed her bare foot onto Roy's hand. He immediately sprang up, yelping in pain. Bulma rolled her eyes. This was how she used to wake her husband back at home. All men were the same.

"I'm sure this is considered injury with intent." Roy muttered under his breath.

"Now that I got your attention, mister…we need to talk politics." Bulma clapped her hands together. Oh yeah. She meant business alright. "Is it true that you're voting with us? I've been talking with Faye…"

Roy rubbed his forehead and chuckled.

"Women talk. Oh, how they can talk."

"Come on, answer me. I wanna know. Are you voting for Mai tomorrow?" Bulma asked.

"I don't know. I haven't made up my mind." Roy raised an eyebrow. "What do _you_ think I should do?"

"I think…you're too scared to vote out Mai and you're definitely not going to vote out Faye. So, that leaves Harley and me on the chopping block." Bulma sounded pretty confident in her prediction. "And I'm here to make a pitch to you why I should stay over Harley."

Bulma had no idea if she was on the mark or not, but she kept on speaking anyway. Roy simply smiled at her, intent on listening without comment.

"Harley has been acting very evasive around me. I see him talking with Mai all the time, but he never tells me anything. Which is strange, considering he never shuts up." Bulma continued, "It makes me think Mai and Harley are plotting together. I don't know what they're plotting about, but they definitely made some sort of pact. It may be a Final Six pact. A Final Five pact. Or hell, may be even a Final Four pact."

"I catch your drift." Roy nodded his head.

"Mai and Harley are close friends. I know them. I've lived with them. I've watched them interact. They're both very clever schemers." Bulma said, shaking her head a few times. "If you leave the two of them in this game, I can guarantee that Mai will turn against you sooner than later."

"So, you want me to vote out Harley?" Roy looked amused.

"I prefer Mai, but it won't happen. Faye may think otherwise, but I know better." Bulma continued shaking her head. "If I was in your shoes, I wouldn't betray my new alliance one tribal council later. I don't think Kari or Shannon will ever forgive you. That's two potential jury votes right there."

"You know, people normally just say 'good morning' as a greeting. They don't spew this much bullshit." Roy joked with a tongue-in-cheek tone. "It's almost like you're reading my mind."

"I'm right?" Bulma sounded genuinely surprised.

"I never said you were." Roy grinned. "But you did raise a lot of good points. You've a strong argument. I must admit, I'm quite persuaded after your pitch."

"Ha, keep me around and you'll find out that I'm full of good ideas." Bulma boasted, "We're the two smartest people in this game. Just think what great plans we can come up with if we teamed up together."

"I'm willing to work with you. How about an alliance?" Roy asked with a dainty smile on his face. He asked this question so casually, almost like he was asking about the weather. _How about an alliance? How about that rain, huh?_ Only Roy could pull off a question with so much ease and confidence. He was such a charmer.

"Boy, you should know I never do alliances." Bulma patted him on the head, almost like she would to a dog. "This is more than just an alliance. It's a partnership of circumstances."

"Ah yes, that sounds lovely to me." Roy grinned.

"Perfect." Bulma smiled. She looked rather relieved after the whole ordeal. "So, tell me your plans. How do you prevent Mai and Harley from colluding together?"

Roy laughed. He was laughing like the answer had been obvious all along.

"It's very simple. We need to make sure Faye Valentine stays in the game. That'll be more than enough to thwart their plans."

_**Roy:**_ _I don't know how much I can trust Bulma, but I know I definitely can't trust Mai. She's a conniving one, that woman. And I'm not at all surprised if she's plotting to take me out. She has the brains and balls to do such a thing. You see, I've come to learn that Mai is like toxic in this game. Her poison spreads fast, and where it spreads is out of my control. I'll gladly admit she's a dangerous player and also a worthy competitor._

A thoughtful look crossed his face.

_**Roy:**_ _But the problem with Mai is she doesn't play very discreetly. At least she isn't discreet enough to hide her secrets from me. She's only an amateur backstabber at best. I'm onto her. She's on my radar and she's going to pay for her mistakes. Am I worried that her little plan to overthrow me will succeed? No, not really. Mai may be toxic, but I am untouchable._

- - -

Unaware that his good name was being tarnished at the moment, the Pokemon Coordinator spent his morning by the waterfall. More precisely, he was at the waterfall washing yet another batch of laundry. Harley was learning firsthand how tedious it was to befriend a workhorse. Not that he was complaining. He did enjoy his time and companionship with Shannon, somewhat. The fellow didn't say much, but sometimes silence can be the most intimate sound.

Yet, Harley found the silence terribly frustrating this morning. Shannon wasn't in a talkative mood, so the two men worked in near silence for over an hour. Wash. Rinse. Dry. Repeat. Over and over again. Harley was slowly losing his mind from this dreadful process. And unsurprisingly, he soon began to daze off. His eyes wandered everywhere, until they settled downwards. Harley caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the water.

The image didn't affect him at first. Then, a horrible awakening jolted him.

No, the reflection hadn't changed from all the previous times he had seen it. But he now saw something beyond just the appearance: Harley saw the hideous face behind the mask. The mask itself was cracking. Hidden underneath, the face looked haggard, tired, and fatigued. Twenty nine days of little food and comfort can do that to even the most beautiful of faces. Harley stared at his own reflection for a long time. There are wrinkles frowning at him from the corners of his eyes. He never noticed these wrinkles before. He never noticed how hellish he looked until today.

Harley soon recognized all his effort in playing this game was etched out on his face. Every wrinkle, every pimple, every sore, and every blemish originated under the excruciating stress of strategizing. They symbolized his pain and sorrow, his alliances and plotting, as well as his work and effort. And it was then Harley realized he had sacrificed too much – twenty nine days, to be exact – for him to go home a loser. He invested too much in _Survivor_ to depart at seventh place, or sixth, or fifth, or any rank but the ultimate Sole Survivor.

Harley didn't ask for much. He just wanted to win this game.

With that in mind, the Pokemon Coordinator spoke up for the first time in hours.

"You seem a little down today. You're even less talkative than usual, if that's even possible." Harley glanced at his silent companion beside him. "What's bothering you, big guy?"

It took a while for Shannon to reply back. The swordsman rarely answered questions right away. He was the type of guy who thinks over his responses before saying them out loud. Unlike Harley, who just shot out every spontaneous thought in his head, relevant or not.

"Homesick." Shannon replied. It took him around twenty to thirty seconds just to come up with a one word response. That was how frustrating it can be to converse with the quiet swordsman. One needed to have a lot of patience. Faye called him hopeless. Bulma dismissed him as boring. But Harley found this characteristic quite appealing. He always liked the strong, silent types.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Yesterday's challenge was bittersweet." Harley nodded his head. "Pacifica is simply _gorgeous_, by the way. Is she your only sister?"

"No, I have a twin sister as well. Raquel." Shannon replied.

Harley immediately burst out in laughter. He knew this was an inappropriate gesture, but he couldn't help it. He tried picturing a female version of Shannon in his head, complete with the same personality and a dull monotonous voice to match. Nope, couldn't do it!

"What's so funny?" Shannon gave his companion an odd look. He didn't get the joke as always.

"Um, is she as…_charming_ as you?" Harley asked, attempting to contain his laughter.

It took another twenty to thirty seconds for Shannon to process the thought. He was an intelligent guy with wisdom beyond his years, but he just didn't understand wit whatsoever. And wit was the one thing Harley came in abundance with. After finally understanding the joke, Shannon looked up at his friend with a smirk.

"Hey." Shannon grunted. Slowly, he grabbed a handful of water and splashed it in Harley's face. "Who's laughing now?"

His face soaked with water, the Pokemon Coordinator dropped his mouth open in surprise. For Shannon to actually react to a joke, well, that just sent Harley over the edge! Now, he was rolling on the ground and almost dying out of laughter. Shannon stared at his friend, smiled for a split second, and then returned to his work. He admitted that Harley can be kind of funny sometimes. (If Shannon even knew what the definition of that word meant.)

"I was counting the days last night and I realized I missed Pacifica's birthday." Shannon explained in a quiet voice, "It was a week ago. She didn't even tell me yesterday. That's why I was upset earlier."

"Oh really?" Harley's grin faded away. "That sucks."

All of a sudden, a stroke of genius jolted Harley. He had what seemed like a brilliant idea in his head. The Coordinator turned to Shannon, after a few seconds of waiting for the right timing, with his big lie of the day.

"Hey, you know what? You can make it up to me." Harley smiled, "It's my birthday tomorrow."

"Really?" Shannon turned his head over.

"Yeah, I'm serious! I didn't want to make a big deal out of it…I don't like revealing my age." Harley laughed for a moment. "But it's true. My birthday is tomorrow. I was just going to celebrate it by myself. Now one more person knows. Yippee!"

Then, he waited. Timing was important whenever he had to deliver a line. Especially with Shannon, who took quite a while to think over every word. After a couple of moments passed by, Harley cleared his throat. Because here came the clincher.

"But it would suck if I got voted out on my birthday."

And that, right there and then, was the motivation behind Harley's lie. Getting voted out on his supposed birthday. The overwhelming irony of it will guarantee that nobody vote him out at tomorrow's tribal council. Harley thought this was the perfect scenario. Of course, it was a complete fabricated lie, but Shannon didn't need to know that little detail. Harley told a harmless little lie to play on Shannon's emotions in order to save himself. He didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

"I'll take that into consideration," said Shannon with a nod. "I won't ask you to do laundry tomorrow."

Harley chuckled out loud. The swordsman had such a dry sense of humour sometimes.

The two men returned to their work. Harley seemed a lot more relaxed after their light-hearted conversation. Lying about his birthday wasn't exactly the most honest of remarks, but it was never meant to be anything more than a harmless little white lie. However, the Pokemon Coordinator underestimated Shannon's ability to take a minor detail very _seriously_. And come tomorrow, Harley will find out what consequences this one birthday lie would bring.

- - -

Iruka welcomed the seven castaways to their tenth immunity challenge. First things first, he asked Faye to return the headband she won at the last challenge. How ironic it was that she won at a time when she wasn't in danger, but now she needed immunity more than ever. May be she can win two times in a row. That was probably the only thing that could save Faye from her imminent doom.

"Today's challenge involves wicker balls and baskets yet again." Iruka held up one of those balls used at the last reward challenge. "You're about to a game of basketball!"

"I hope I know what a hook is." Bulma grinned cheekily.

"One by one, you'll step behind the marked line and shoot the wicker ball into the basketball net." Iruka gestured his hand at the said item. A wooden basketball pole was structured just for this occasion. "Either you score or you miss. If you miss for two consecutive times, you're out of the challenge. This process continues until we're down to one. The last player standing is our winner. Takes home immunity. Guaranteed a few more days of safety."

All the players nodded their heads. The challenge sounded simple enough. They knew what they were playing for.

"Without further ado, let's shoot some baskets!" Iruka smiled as he tossed the wicker ball to Shannon. "We'll start in the order of your heights. So Shannon, you're up first."

As any basketball player would know, height was definitely a favourable advantage in this game. Being the tallest castaway of the group, Shannon was technically the odds-on favourite for winning the challenge. His Achilles' heel, however, was the fact he never played basketball in his life. The swordsman was a man of little hobbies after all, and that included no sports. Still, he didn't think it could be that difficult to shoot a ball into a basket. Shannon walked up to the marked line and adjusted his position. Then, he threw the wicker ball towards the net.

It slammed against the backboard and bounced off. He missed.

Harley was next. He played basketball before, sucked at it, but that didn't matter because he had no intentions of winning this challenge. As part of his plan to become the least threatening player ever, he was going to throw the ball in the same way he was going to throw the challenge. Casually, he tossed the ball in the air with no expectations attached.

The ball didn't even come close. He missed with great pleasure.

Third was Roy, who finally made the first connecting shot in this challenge. With relative ease, he threw the wicker ball and it went whooshing down the net. A few players clapped politely, while others tensed their expressions. Roy just demonstrated to everyone that he, and not Shannon, was the man to beat.

"And _that_ is how you do it." Roy grinned.

Standing at the back, Shannon grumbled with mild annoyance.

Mai came next. She was the tallest of the four women, even without wearing high heels. She held the wicker ball in her hands, kissed it for good luck, and then threw to the best of her capabilities. It touched the rim of the basket, but fell short from scoring a point. She missed as well.

The next three shots were all misses, respectively from Faye, Bulma, and Kari, which made Roy the only person to make a successful shot this round. He was already in the lead.

Shannon marched up to the marked line again for his second throw. Learning the mistakes from his first time, he held both hands on the ball with a firm yet flexible grip. He dipped his knees a little, and then launched his shot. It connected. Shannon had redeemed himself. He was still in the challenge.

On the other hand, Harley fulfilled his objective of losing the challenge and missed his throw again. He was the first player eliminated from the challenge.

Roy scored another shot. And his cocksure smile grew a bit more confident after each time.

Mai missed. She was out of the challenge as well.

As Faye walked forward to take her shot, she understood the importance of making the next throw. Her entire fate in this game rested on this throw. If she missed the basket, she might as well sign her own death warranty. _No pressure, right?_ Faye smiled nervously to herself. She took another step forward, until Iruka warned her that she crossed the marked line. Grumbling, Faye retracted her steps. And without stalling the moment any longer, she threw the ball. It soared across the air in a graceful, calculated angle. Faye can finally sigh in relief as she watched the ball swirl down the net, keeping her alive in this challenge. She was in. She was still in the game.

Bulma also made her shot, luckily enough. She seemed surprised that she made it through to the third round, as were most of the spectators.

Kari went up for her second throw and missed again. She was eliminated from this challenge, just like how she was eliminated from so many of the challenges in the past. By now, she was used to losing. She shrugged her shoulders and joined the others on the bench.

"Here's where we stand at the moment. Shannon, Roy, Faye, and Bulma are still in the challenge." Iruka stated the obvious. "Everyone made their last shots, so we're on an even playing field again. Let's begin the third round!"

Shannon started the third round with a bang. _SWOOOOOOOOSH!_ His wicker ball flew in the air and landed perfectly in the basket. Another score. For an amateur basketball player, he was starting to get the hang of this sport. Of all things, he was a fast learner. That odds-on favourite prediction at the beginning might just turn out to be true.

Roy didn't share the same fortune. Third time wasn't the charm as he finally missed his first throw in the challenge. Cursing himself, he returned to the back of the line with a deflated ego. Meanwhile, Shannon merely smirked at the result, although the swordsman was getting a bit cocky himself.

Faye and Bulma also made their shots. The former scored, whereas the latter missed. Faye was safe for at least another round, but the pressure was on Bulma to bring up her game next time around.

Shannon missed his fourth throw. Just barely. The ball circled around the ring for a second or two, but fell on the wrong side of the net unfortunately.

Roy missed as well. It was as if his earlier mojo had simply been a fluke. Since this was the colonel's second consecutive miss, it meant he was the fourth player eliminated from the challenge.

Faye continued her dominant streak, scoring her second point in a row. In fact, she actually connected with three out of her four shots, which gave her the best track record so far. Bulma also got lucky with her next throw, successfully scoring a shot at the most opportune time. Once again, she was kept hanging in this challenge by a thread. She was still a contender. Somehow.

"After four rounds: Shannon, Faye, and Bulma are still in it!" Iruka announced, "Shannon needs to connect with his next shot in order to stay alive!"

The pressure was on Shannon. He grimaced as he walked up to the marked line. If he followed the same strategy as before, this should be a piece of cake. He grabbed the wicker ball with a firm clutch. The positioning of his wrists was also important. Basketball was all in the wrists. Shannon launched his shot. Then, he realized this challenge involved an external factor: the wind. Nature wasn't in his favour today, as a small gust of wind suddenly blew the wicker ball out of its intended path. As a result, the ball missed the basket. And Shannon missed his chance at immunity.

Faye aimed her ball at the basket, tossed, and it connected again. Four out of five. The bounty huntress almost seemed unbeatable. Her other contender, Bulma, missed on her fifth try. She had missed every other shot in the challenge so far, but still remained alive by a dash of luck. However, her beginner's luck was bound to run out sooner or later. Faye only hoped it will happen during Bulma's next shot.

"Only two ladies left." Iruka updated the progress report. "Who wants immunity more?"

Faye, obviously, needed this immunity more than anyone. Her neck was on the line. She almost wanted to ask Bulma to lose on purpose, but her pride stood in the way. The bounty huntress took a deep breath as she approached her sixth shot. With fewer competitors every time, she grew more nervous about her chances after each following round. The nerves finally got to the best of her, since Faye's throw was off-target. But that was okay, she reassured herself, since Bulma must score her next shot to stay in the game. Either she was in or she was out. There was a fifty-fifty chance of failure, or more precisely, a sixty percent chance according to statistics. The odds were in Faye's favour. Now if only luck was on her side too.

Faye closed her eyes and prayed. Please miss the shot. Please, Bulma. Please. Please!

But the gods of fortune smiled upon Bulma today, because her next shot was a success. The wicker ball went in the basket, almost miraculously, and Bulma squealed out in joy. Saved on the verge of death. Again!

"Bow down to the next Michael Jordan, bitches!" Bulma exclaimed giddily.

In her mind, Faye was out of it. Technically, she still had a decent chance at a comeback, but she felt so discouraged by Bulma's throw that she had lost all concentration. And concentration was the most integral part of basketball. Without aim, focus, and concentration, the player will have no way of making a successful shot. Faye knew this; however, she was so discouraged. So disoriented. So disgusted with herself. This was unfortunate, because she had been doing so well prior before. But a torrent of negative energy suddenly washed over her peace of mind. These negative thoughts, in turn, were converted to the actual reality.

She missed. Missed for two consecutive times.

"Bulma wins immunity!" Iruka declared.

Faye was out.

Out of the challenge.

And out of the game.

- - -

_I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;_  
_I lift my lids and all is born again._  
_(I think I made you up inside my head.)_

The perpetual darkness consumed her. She was falling deeper into a bottomless pit of desolation and despair. All she saw was pitch black. So empty and lonely. It was a chilling reflection of her own soul. When Faye opened her eyes for the first time in hours, she realized she must have dozed off under a tree. It had been a lazy afternoon when she returned from the immunity challenge. Now, the sky lit up into a glorious red and golden sunset. Faye stared upwards with a forlorn smile. Sunsets in Konoha were always the right shade of melancholy. They also symbolized the end of an era. The end of Faye Valentine. How poetically fitting.

Faye continued smiling at the sky. It was a beautiful sight once she overlooked the sad sentiments attached. Was this how the end felt like? She felt so numb with herself. In any case, she certainly knew her game was coming to an end. The fact was established three days ago, even if she didn't admit it at the time. And now, it was over. She didn't even have a hidden immunity idol to surprise everyone at tribal council. She will go out tomorrow night, not as a blazing fighter, but with a pathetic whimper. The end.

_The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,_  
_And arbitrary blackness gallops in:_  
_I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead._

Her loss at the immunity challenge today pushed Faye over the edge. Prior to her upsetting defeat, she thought there was some hope in the horizon. She believed she had a reason to keep fighting. Then, all her dreams and hopes came crumbling down. It wouldn't have felt so crushing if she hadn't come so close to victory. Immunity was in her hands for a few fleeting moments, but it slipped away along with the rest of her motivation in this game. Afterwards, her outlook towards _Survivor_ had been bleak and uninspired. Often, she just felt like lying down by a tree and drifting off to a long, tranquil sleep.

Faye was doomed. Perhaps it was for the best. She didn't have a lot of friends anyway. Even if she made it all the way to the end, her odds of winning ranged from slim to none. She will have to go against the least popular player ever in order to stand a chance. For that reason, Faye thought she should be kept around as an ideal goat. In fact, she probably could make an argument around that point. But Faye was so tired of making endless pitches that went nowhere. She was so over campaigning for a lost cause. And she was so finished waiting for false hope that never delivered.

_I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed_  
_And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane._  
_(I think I made you up inside my head.)_

Her only hope rested in Roy Mustang.

Faye wasn't totally doomed in this game, like she made herself believe. Yes, she was still the number one target on the chopping block. Yes, she was still disliked by almost everybody in the tribe. But she also had a crucial lifeline on her side. Roy was working overtime to keep his Final Two partner alive. And he was just the type of man who _always_ got his way.

"I don't think we should vote out Faye." Roy said, slowly and surely. He spoke in this manner when he wanted to get his point across. "It'd be smarter if we went after Harley instead."

After he uttered those daring words, the colonel stood back and studied his alliance members for their reactions. They didn't freak out yet, which was a good sign. But they definitely weren't impressed with him. Shannon, in particular, shot a nasty glare at Roy's direction. As expected, the swordsman didn't like the sound of this new plan whatsoever.

However, it was Mai who spoke up first.

"Well, I still want Faye gone. Why are we changing it all of a sudden?" Mai placed both her hands on her hips. She looked slightly annoyed, but also opened to persuasion. "Harley is less of a threat in challenges. He's also less of a nuisance around camp."

"Harley is a social player. He's on friendly terms with almost everyone. That makes him far more threatening in my eyes." Roy explained, "Faye has nobody in this game. She's in a strategic dead end. We can drag her from vote to vote and she won't do us any harm."

"No. Faye must go." Shannon grunted.

"Agreed. I refuse to vote out Harley," said Mai.

"Well, I refuse to vote out Faye." Roy folded his arms across his chest. "And this gets us nowhere."

"No, _you're_ getting us nowhere. The three of us want Faye gone from the beginning. You're the one who changed your mind because you're thinking with your dick." Mai smirked.

Roy's lips twitched with intrigue. He didn't expect his alliance would give into his demands this easily. But of course, the colonel prepared for a worst case scenario. He had a trump card in his back pocket.

"Here's the bottom line. If you don't agree with my decision, then fine, may be somebody else will be interested in my vote." Roy shrugged his shoulders casually. "May be Jiraiya will be more supportive of me. Do you catch my drift?"

"You wouldn't!" Mai glared at him.

"You left me no choice." Roy shrugged again.

"That's game suicide! You'd be handing the game right back to Jiraiya after everything we've been through!" Mai was getting really aggravated just at the thought of that happening. "If you do that, I'd lose all respect for you. Like, all respect."

"Why don't we all compromise a little and just vote out Harley?" Kari suddenly spoke up. She was afraid it would come down to this. After one tribal council, they were already falling apart. More than anything, she just wanted her alliance to put aside their differences and vote as a unit. She worked too hard gathering the four of them together in the first place.

"See! Kari agrees with me!" Roy snapped his fingers conclusively. "Let's listen to Kari. She's the voice of reason around here."

"I don't really care who goes. I just want the four of us to vote together," said Kari.

"Roy, you suck." Mai made a face, looking very disgruntled. She couldn't tell her tribe members about her undercover deal with the Pokemon Coordinator, especially not in front of Roy. But there was no way out of this. She didn't have an exit plan. Either she backed down and surrendered to Roy's demands, or she risked getting voted out at tomorrow's tribal council.

_I should just go after Roy this turn. That'll show him._ Mai thought to herself. But no, she could never do that. Even if she did have Harley's vote in her pocket, it would be a horrible strategic move. The powerful trio of Bulma, Faye, and Harley must not stay intact after the next tribal council under any circumstances. Even if it meant sacrificing Harley before his time was due. If only Bulma didn't win immunity. She would have been the easiest target for all of them to go after.

While Mai seemed open to the idea of voting out Harley, Shannon Casull didn't look like the earth can shake him from his convictions. He wasn't going to vote out a friend. He wasn't going to let Roy walk over him. He wasn't going to surrender.

"Harley is celebrating his birthday tomorrow. It's despicable if we voted him out on the same day." Shannon muttered in a stern voice. Unlike Mai, he actually honoured his friendships in this game.

Roy thought that was the most ridiculous reason he ever heard in his life.

"You aren't thinking logically! The four of us must vote together!" Roy argued.

"Shut up. This problem wouldn't exist if it wasn't for you." Shannon glared intensely at the colonel.

"Because it's his birthday!?" Roy asked.

"No, because I just don't like you calling the shots." Shannon muttered.

Kari closed her eyes and winced. She didn't understand why they were making such a big deal over with this. From her perspective, this should have been an easy and straightforward vote. Faye _or_ Harley. It didn't matter to her. Just choose one already!

"We can't vote for different people." Kari said meekly, "If we split our votes, we're just making ourselves vulnerable at tribal council. None of us will win in the end."

"He's making it difficult." Roy gestured his hand towards the swordsman.

"You started it!" Shannon exclaimed.

"C'mon, how old are you guys again?" Mai chuckled, while shaking her head with disbelief.

Both Roy and Shannon glared at her. Like she thought, the two guys didn't enjoy her feistiness in midst of their squabbling. At least they shared one thing in common.

"Hey, you know what, may be Jiraiya will be more appreciative of my vote." Roy threatened.

"What makes you think that I won't go to Jiraiya and do the same thing?" Shannon snapped. That comment really got to him. He didn't like being blackmailed. "In fact, I'm tempted to change my vote just to spite Roy."

"You…you can't do that! You're S-Shannon!" Kari gasped.

"We aren't that different, you know. He isn't the only one with options." Shannon muttered in a chilling voice, "May be you should tell Roy two can play that game."

Left speechless, Kari dropped open her mouth but no words came out. She was left gaping at the swordsman in pure astonishment. Mai also looked a bit overwhelmed, yet impressed at the time. She found his little outburst strangely attractive. As for Roy, he just smirked in defiance. _Survivor_ just got a whole lot more interesting for him.

This was the first time any of them saw Shannon Casull as a serious threat.

- - -

**DAY 30**

On the day of tribal council, Mai Valentine found herself at a dead end.

Shannon didn't want to vote out Harley, Roy didn't want to vote out Faye, and their third choice Bulma was immune from the vote. Mai had no idea how to compromise, but she knew she was in trouble if the four of them didn't vote together tonight. Roy already threatened that he'll realign with Jiraiya if he didn't get his way, as did Shannon, which left Mai scrambling all morning to appease the two men.

Actually, there was a third man in her equation. Early this morning, Mai had a quick chat with Harley (and wished him a happy birthday), where she asked him if he would vote out Faye tonight. The Pokemon Coordinator refused to betray his friend. He might have changed his mind if she told him the full story, but Mai didn't want Harley to know about the true dynamics of the tribe. He would have a field day if he thought there was a chance to save both himself _and_ Faye. So, she asked Harley a simple question, he gave her a flat-out 'no', and she didn't pursue the matter any longer. Mai was back to square one.

_Men!_

Can't live with them, can't live without them. Why were the men always causing so much trouble to her in this game!?

The only consolation Mai had right now was the fact that Kari stayed completely loyal to the alliance. At least she wasn't fighting this battle alone, even if the DigiDestined couldn't do much to change the tribe dynamics. It was comforting to Mai that she had somebody else to talk to. A sounding board. A sane person. A _friend_.

"We should vote for Harley." Kari said, decisively. It was both a strategic _and_ personal decision on her part. All the time she spent with Bulma over the past two days left an impact on the young girl's impression of the Pokemon Coordinator. She thought he didn't mind her all that much, but now she realized how much he resented her underneath the friendly façade.

"You too, huh?" Mai sighed. Great. Another point for Roy. Now they were at a deadlock. Two of them wanted Harley to go, while the other two preferred Faye. What should she, the figurative leader of this alliance, do in an impossible situation like this?

"I think Faye kind of gave up on the game already, whereas Harley is…" Kari didn't know how to describe the Pokemon Coordinator. "Harley is playing it really hard."

_But I made a deal with him!_ Mai thought in her head, exasperated. She already broke one with Meryl and promptly voted her out afterwards. It was not a fun experience. The blonde didn't want to repeat it again.

"I'm afraid that Roy will approach Jiraiya about the vote. That's where everything can go wrong," said Kari.

"He won't. It's a bluff." Mai appeared confident in her words.

"But what if he does?" Kari bit her lips.

"Screw Roy. I say we just pull in Harley and the four of us vote out Faye anyway." Mai clenched her fists together. All this thinking was making her head hurt. "Roy can kiss my ass."

"But Harley would never vote against Faye," said Kari.

Mai sighed. Damn. She almost wished she forgot. That was the core problem after all. Harley won't vote against Faye. Roy won't vote against her either. Shannon won't vote against Harley. And Mai didn't know what to do.

Should she vote out Roy? It was a thought that crossed her minds many times. _Too_ many times. She almost wished she had the guts to do it. But essentially, she hesitated at the thought of leaving Harley and Faye as a pair in this game. Harley would never cooperate with Mai as long as his bounty huntress buddy was still here. And that even made Harley more worthless than Bulma from a strategic point of view, because he came along with extra baggage that Mai did not want around. At least Bulma was just one vote to worry about. Harley and Faye were two.

There was just no other choice. She didn't have the numbers to take out Faye either - Harley and Roy simply would not budge. And Bulma? Forget it. The moment she won immunity, that woman wanted nothing more to do with Mai, and vice versa. Mai's most important priority was to break up the Jiraiya alliance. Faye and Harley, under no circumstances, can stay together after tonight. And if the numbers weren't there to take out Faye, then her little friend Harley will have to take the fall. Mai didn't necessarily enjoy backstabbing another person, but that was how the game dictated. That was how she rolled.

"I think we can convince Shannon." Kari continued, speaking in a rather optimistic voice. "He might be really, really stubborn, but I don't think he'd betray us like Roy would."

"Roy might actually vote with Jiraiya if we don't give him his way. Shannon, however, I just don't call his bluff." Mai agreed with a nod. She folded her arms across her chest. "But how are we going to convince him to change his mind?"

"I have no idea." Kari sighed.

"Hmm. I'll talk some sense into Shannon after the party." Mai said, nodding a few more times. "Because if we don't resolve this issue by tonight, things are going to get ugly..."

And it was settled. With Kari's help, Mai finally made up her mind about who should go tonight. As much as she didn't want to betray Harley, especially not after they just reconciled, Roy pretty much forced her to play this way. Damn him. And damn her for giving into his demands. But Mai was used to the backstabbing by now. She was used to losing another friend. She was used to playing the bad guy.

_Here we go. First Meryl, then Holland, and now Harley._ Mai shot a bittersweet smile at the cameras._ Victim number three…_

- - -

The 'party' Mai referred to earlier was, of course, a _birthday_ party. It was Harley's birthday today. Apparently. At least the whole tribe thought so. The Pokemon Coordinator almost forgot about his little white lie yesterday, but Shannon did not. In a rare demonstration of thoughtfulness, he informed the other tribe members about the special occasion. People started talking, and soon it was decided they'll throw a surprise party in his honour. Shannon will cook an extravagant meal, Mai will supply the sweets from her reward, while everyone else will chip in with the birthday presents. An unsuspecting Harley didn't know what was happening until–

"SURPRISE!!"

Harley blinked a few times.

Oh my.

"I hope this isn't a farewell party, you guys." Harley joked.

"Happy birthday!" Mai cheered out loud. The blonde ran up to Harley and gave the Coordinator a big friendly hug.

"How old are you turning today, birthday boy?" Roy teased.

"Shh. A gentleman never reveals his age." Bulma grinned cheekily.

Harley didn't know how to react, other than a conscious smile that naturally appeared on his face. He was overwhelmed, really. He never imagined his lie would get so out of control. Several people wished him a happy birthday today, but he never expected a _party_ to take place. A party in his honour. Over his fake birthday.

Everybody looked at him with such eager glances. They were waiting for him to do something _Harley_ish – may be jump up and down like a giddy schoolgirl, who knows? He didn't give them the satisfaction of fulfilling their stereotypes. Harley just buried his face into his hands and laughed. This whole thing was so hysterically bad. And somehow, he was still genuinely touched.

"You guys shouldn't have done this." Harley shook his head. "No, REALLY, you shouldn't have!"

One by one, his tribe members handed Harley his gifts. Roy recycled one of his signature roses, Bulma gave a pair of her designer sunglasses, and Faye simply gave him another hug. These gifts were nice and simple, but nothing could be compared to what Kari had in store. Surprising everyone, the petite DigiDestined personally handcrafted him a bracelet – made out of leaves and flowers she collected in the forest. One look at this item and it was obvious that she put a lot of effort into making this accessory. Everyone oohed and aahed as Harley slipped it around his wrist.

It felt too tight. And the leaves were itchy. But Harley didn't mention it out loud. Instead, he just put on a forced smile.

"It's gorgeous. Thank you." Harley nodded his head in acknowledgement. He glanced at the bracelet. Well, it was a nice thing to do, he admitted.

"You should thank Kari again." Roy put a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "She was the one who came up with the idea of a birthday party."

"No, that's not true!" Kari laughed modestly. "We all contributed to the _big_ idea! It's a _big_ day for Harley, after all!"

Harley glared at the petite DigiDestined. Look at her, so proud of herself for doing something so essentially pointless. And look at everybody else, praising that little girl for being so thoughtful and kind. What bullshit. What a hypocrite. Harley never forgot the fact that Kari betrayed the Jiraiya alliance in the first place. If it wasn't for her selfish actions, neither he nor Faye would be leaving tonight. Foolish girl. Foolish, hypocritical girl. Harley can't believe he almost forgave her because she made him a stupid bracelet. At least he remembered her shtick in the end.

He still hated Kari Kamiya. Some things will never change. Just like Harley will never change his true colours, even on the day of his fake birthday.

- - -

Shannon's conscience was haunting him. Ever since celebrating Harley's birthday this morning, the swordsman felt a huge burden of guilt following him for the rest of the day. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion will soon be ruined by the proceedings of tribal council tonight. People like Roy and Mai enjoyed the immense irony in the situation, but Shannon didn't share their sense of humour. They didn't understand his predicament. Unlike the swordsman, Roy had never been close friends with Harley. And Mai…well, she would have laughed about it even if _she_ got voted out on her own birthday. But Shannon was different. He was an extremely honourable person who always believed in doing the right thing. Voting out a good friend on his birthday was a cowardly move, and Shannon knew it.

He can't vote for Harley tonight.

He just can't.

Mai, of course, couldn't give two damns about the burden of guilt on Shannon's shoulders right now. She already washed the blood off her hands for betraying a friend, and she believed that he should do the same thing.

"Shannon, you aren't really thinking about voting with Harley and Faye, are you?" Mai asked in a private conversation with the swordsman. "Because that would defeat everything we've been fighting for. We worked so hard to gain a _majority_ in this game, and you're blowing our chances away."

"Save that for Roy. I haven't decided yet." Shannon grumbled.

"I understand that voting out Harley on his birthday is a bad thing…" Mai nodded her head.

"It's downright despicable." Shannon added brusquely.

"But do you want to hand the game over to Jiraiya again?" Mai frowned, "If Faye knows we're splitting our votes, she'll have all the power again. That's like game suicide!"

"I'm not happy about Roy making the decisions for us," muttered Shannon.

"Me neither, but so what? Both Faye and Harley have to go at some point. We're just switching up the order." Mai shrugged her shoulders. "Don't let Roy get to you. He likes to press our buttons. He puts people on edge because that's what he does best."

"If we vote out Harley, we're doing exactly what he wants."

"And if we don't do what he says, we'll give the power back to Jiraiya."

Shannon sighed. He knew she had a very valid point. He had always been a very rational person. He knew this was an important vote that will determine how the rest of the game will carry out.

"We can't split our votes, Shannon. We'll lose our numerical advantage," said Mai.

_Numbers_. Shannon hated that stupid word. It always came down to numbers. People, emotions, friendships, honour, human decency, and everything else were reduced to a couple of meaningless digits. Everything was a statistic in _Survivor_.

"I never knew you were such an emotional player." Mai added as a quick afterthought.

"I'm not being emotional." Shannon retorted.

"Then why are you tripping, dude? You're acting like a total puss. I don't get it."

"Because I consider Harley my friend. How do you vote out a friend without feeling any remorse?"

"That's easy." Mai laughed out loud. "You don't think about it. You just write down their names at tribal council and let the magic happen. It's that simple!"

Shannon knew she wouldn't understand him. He was talking to Mai Valentine, after all. She had a notorious history of backstabbing her friends in the past. She must be used to the routine by now.

_**Shannon:**_ _Roy can't be trusted, that's a fact. However, I also have some reservations about Mai. If actions speak louder than words, she cannot be trusted. At first, I thought she was just misunderstood. Now, I realize the rumours are true. Mai is a very conniving and cutthroat competitor. While I admire her determination, she isn't somebody I'd associate myself with under normal circumstances._

He phrased his words as diplomatically as possible, but the message was still evident: he thought Mai Valentine was a sneak, just like everybody else.

_**Shannon:**_ _Sometimes, it amazes me how I went from aligning with Meryl and Zolo to people like Roy and Mai. I feel like I'm working with the devil. Except there's more than one of them._

Mai can tell he wasn't buying into her argument, so she gave a more enticing offer to the swordsman.

"Just one more round, Shannon." Mai said, putting on a brave smile. "We work with Roy for one more round and then we chuck his ass out of here. I promise you. Roy Mustang is gone next, guaranteed."

"How will you get the numbers?" Shannon sounded skeptical. He hated using that dreadful word, but it got the point across.

"I'll figure out a way." Mai winked.

"You promise?"

"I promise! Sooner or later, I assure you that Roy's gonna get _burned_."

- - -

_Vote for Harley tonight._

Roy whispered those words into Faye's ears, urgently and discreetly, right before they headed to tribal council. Like always, he kept his messages cryptic and vague. There was enough information to keep her guessing, but she was far from understanding the full picture. Even as she arrived at the tenth tribal council, she was still in a state of confusion and anxiety. She was confused because something consequential must have happened behind the scenes. And she felt anxious because she kind of predicted what the details contain. After all, it can't get any more obvious than Roy instructing her to vote out Harley "for her own good". At the very least, Faye had the slightest inkling that her fate was not set in stone.

To his surprise, she was shaking her head.

"No."

"What?"

"NO!" Faye exclaimed, almost a little too loudly. "I don't want to do it. You promised me that I won't be going home tonight!"

"But you aren't…" Roy looked confused.

"And Harley is?"

"Yes. That's what I'm trying to tell you." Roy said in an amused manner. "Boy, do you need to catch up! Welcome to the rest of the game, Faye."

"It's not funny, and I won't vote for him." Faye hissed.

"Why?"

"Because it's his birthday today."

Roy gave her a blank stare. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was that damn birthday excuse again! What was with these people and their odd admiration for birthdays? The colonel was beginning to think that he should also claim he had an upcoming birthday, if it meant he could get a free ride in this game.

"Do you want to get voted out?"

"I doubt my vote will make a difference anyway." Faye said defiantly. And she was right to a certain extent.

Roy just lowered his head and sighed in exasperation. Sometimes, he wondered why he fought with his alliance in order to keep an ungrateful woman. He thought Faye would be thankful that she won't be going home. Instead, she transferred all her frustration onto him.

"Look, Faye. I want you to know that I've a plan." Roy hastily grabbed her hand. Their fellow tribe members were beginning to assemble. They were leaving for tribal council now. This was the last chance for them to talk in privacy. "At the next tribal council, we're going to take down Mai. But first, I need to know if you'll cooperate with me."

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Faye nodded her head. "I'm not stupid, you know."

He certainly hoped so.

"Prove that to me by voting out Harley tonight."

But she didn't reply back.

"Faye?"

And that was when Roy knew he couldn't depend on her for a vote.

- - -

Iruka asked the usual uninteresting questions in tribal council. He tried prodding Faye to make some dramatic statements, but she was on her best behaviour tonight, just in case. Naturally, the host turned his attention to other hot topics, such as Bulma's unexpected win ("Hey, I stumbled upon a victory on my third try!" Bulma joked), Kari's reunion with her brother, and Harley's birthday. They gave bland, generic answers. Faye wasn't paying any attention to them. She just wanted this night to end. She was tired of waiting.

Harley could sense a disturbance in the air. He first suspected something was wrong when Iruka asked him a question about his bracelet, and he joked that the best birthday present was actually three more days in this game. It was supposed to be a funny and light-hearted comment, but nobody laughed. In fact, Harley noticed some odd reactions from his fellow players.

Shannon cringed.

Roy cleared his throat.

Kari's lips trembled.

Mai lowered her head in shame.

And Harley immediately panicked. Because something in their guilty faces hinted there might be a surprise he didn't see coming tonight.

After the questions came the voting. One by one, they crossed the rope bridge and cast their respective votes. Shannon took the longest time, which was odd because he was usually very quick and efficient in crushing his competitors' dreams. Hence, Harley interpreted this as his second warning sign. Something definitely wasn't right. He just didn't know _what_ yet.

A while later, Iruka returned with the voting urn. The results had been tallied. Once the votes were read, the person voted out will be asked to leave tribal council immediately.

The host pulled out the first vote.

"Kari."

Harley recognized his own handwriting on the ballot. This was another danger sign. His vote was read out first. Of course, he cast this as a meaningless throwaway vote. He just didn't want to vote out a friend. Surprisingly enough, he stayed loyal to Faye until the bitter end.

Iruka turned over the second parchment.

"Mai."

This vote belonged to Faye. She, too, cast a throwaway vote that made no impact in the final outcome. She ignored Roy's vague instructions before tribal council. Screw him. Screw the majority. Screw them all. Faye had nothing to lose anyway. She simply will not vote out Harley. Because, just like the Pokemon Coordinator, the bounty huntress was also a faithful friend. And true friends don't vote out each other, no matter how tough the circumstances were.

It wasn't until Iruka read out the third parchment before everything became crystal clear.

"Harley."

The Pokemon Coordinator looked startled, but was not totally in shock. He had his suspicions before, but seeing this vote confirmed all his worst fears. Harley immediately glanced over at Mai, sitting on the other side of the bench. She turned her head towards him for a brief moment. And then, she smiled sadly at her ex-friend.

_Oh. My. God._

He sat back and shook his head in disbelief. This was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

_Are you kidding me!?_ Harley angrily mouthed the words to the blonde.

_I'm sorry._ Mai shrugged her shoulders.

Harley closed his eyes, still fuming. No, he can tell that she was not in the least bit _sorry_.

"Harley." Iruka read out the fourth vote. "That's two votes for Harley, one vote for Mai, and one vote for Kari."

His eyes were still closed. He already knew the results for tonight. It was over for him. He will get the distinctive honour of being voted out on his fake birthday. That will either go down in the history books or a bad punchline.

"Harley."

Opening his eyes again, Harley cringed at the sight of his name. This wasn't the first time it appeared on a vote, but it will be probably be his last. He gave one final glance at Mai's direction. She looked at peace with herself. Like she was just going through the wheels of motions. There wasn't any remorse evident in her cold, calculated face. Only now can Harley see how cutthroat the blonde can be.

In a matter of seconds, he was about to learn what Kurz Weber, Meryl Stryfe, and Holland Novak all discovered – a little too late – on the night of their eliminations:

Mai Valentine will backstab her friends without batting an eye.

"The tenth player voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_," Iruka flipped over the deciding vote. "Harley."

Harley uttered an audible curse word, but that was the extent of his dramatic antics for the night. The show was over. Scene closed. Curtains drawn. Harley made his exit to the left, grabbing his torch and saying a few quick goodbyes. Goodbye Shannon, even though he voted with the majority. Goodbye Bulma, ditto that. And goodbye Faye Valentine, the only person who defied the consensus and prevented a unanimous decision. Harley made sure he had enough time to give her a farewell hug. She was his one true friend in this game.

"The tribe has spoken." Iruka quickly snuffed out the flame. "Harley, it's time for you to go."

Harley hesitated. Suddenly, he felt compelled to make one last scene as part of his departure. He wanted to do something memorable. Anything that will cause a big stir. He thought of confessing about his false birthday, and he even considered throwing Kari's bracelet into the fire. That will show them!

But in the end, Harley left without commotion, almost in an uncharacteristic fashion. No bangs. No spectacles. No bitchy remarks. He decided to save all that for the _final_ tribal council.

Faye watched her only friend disappear behind the shadows.

She wasn't quite sure how she should feel right now. On one hand, she was obviously relieved and totally shocked that she was still in the game. But that only made her feel guilty afterwards, because Harley was her substitute scapegoat instead. For now, Faye settled on feeling thankful. Make no mistake, she only survived this tribal council because of Roy. She hadn't forgiven him for betraying her in the first place. Not that it mattered anyway. He had all the control. But how long can he keep her in the game when everyone out there was gunning for her? As far as she was concerned, Faye was still a marked woman. She was still the biggest target at the next tribal council.

_God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade:_  
_Exit seraphim and Satan's men:_  
_I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead._

After tonight, Harley was added as part of the ever growing jury. And three nights from now, he would attend tribal council and sit across from the players, where he will be waiting.

Waiting for the next person voted off.

Waiting for a friend to join him.

Waiting for Faye.

- - -

_**Harley's Final Words**_

Hey bitches. It has been a fun ride, but it's a shame I couldn't make it further. I'm annoyed that May and Drew have a better Survivor record than me, ugh, but at least I know I'm the better Coordinator. Anywaysssss, I'm glad I made a few good friends in this game, but the only person I'm rooting for is Faye. If she gets herself out of this pickle, she deserves to win more than anyone. I'm not too worried about her though. She's a resourceful gal. She'll manage by herself.

- - -

_**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**Mai makes a move on Faye's man…**  
(Mai whispers something into Roy's ear. He laughs.)  
_Faye: She's entering dangerous territory._  
(As she watches them, Faye seethes with anger.)  
_Faye: This is war._

**A threatening storm destroys the camp…**  
_Mai: Get out! Everyone! Now!_  
_Bulma: It's gonna fall!_

**And Kari breaks down…**  
_Kari: I…can't…can't breathe._  
_Mai: She's having an asthma attack._  
(Kari lies on the ground, choking for air.)  
_Bulma: Call the medics!_

_**All this and more on – Episode 11: Brains and Brawn**_

- - -

**Author's Notes:** Thanks for reading and reviewing the story, everyone! Only three more episodes to go!


	11. Episode 11: Brains and Brawn

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Faye became the least popular person in Sarutobi. When she reconciled with Roy after his betrayal, Mai was prompted to restore her own friendship with Harley as a safety measure. The two plotted to take down Roy at a future tribal council, but their conversation was overheard by an eavesdropping Bulma. She immediately informed Roy about the scandal. As a result, he refused to vote out Faye in spite of his alliance's wishes. After Bulma won immunity, Harley became the default target. He almost saved himself by lying about an upcoming birthday; however, Mai betrayed him when Roy revealed his awareness of their secret scheming. The Pokemon Coordinator was consequently sent home in a 5-2 vote._

_Six castaways remain. Who will be voted out next?_

**Episode Eleven: Brains and Brawn**

Sarutobi Tribe **: Bulma **_(Dragonball Z)_, **Faye **_(Cowboy Bebop)_, **Kari **_(Digimon)_, **Mai **_(Yu-gi-oh)_, **Roy **_(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon** _(Scrapped Princess)_

- - -

**DAY 31**

The morning after every tribal council felt like the loneliest time for some castaways. It was during this period when the adrenaline of tribal council cooled off, and the survivor's guilt began sinking into one's conscience. Shannon, who lost three close friends and one respected acquaintance in the last four tribal councils, was definitely feeling a heavy burden on his shoulders. So what if he made it to the final six? The main reason behind his survival was because he won two immunities at the right time, thus leading his allies to take the fall instead. Those weren't proud moments for a moralistic guy like Shannon, but he reached a new low last night when he voted out Harley on his birthday. And it wasn't like he had no other options. The no-brainer target should have been Faye Valentine. If Shannon had grown a backbone, and if only he stood up against Roy yesterday, then may be his _alleged_ friend would still be here.

_**Shannon:**_ _I'm not going to blame Roy for what happened last night, because he doesn't control what I do. I'll admit though that I'm very disappointed in myself. Harley provided me companionship while I was going through a tough time, but I couldn't even grant him a simple birthday wish. It was downright disgraceful that we voted him out last night, especially when it should've been Faye's time to go…or even Roy for that matter._

The swordsman stared at the camera with a rueful expression.

_**Shannon:**_ _Perhaps it's a blessing that many of my acquaintances are on the jury, but I personally find it…discouraging. It's difficult for me to make friends in the first place. It's even more difficult to see them leave one by one. Worst of all, I can't do anything to save them. Incompetence is my biggest flaw._

On this lonely morning, the camp was completely silent. There was a noticeable absence of a chipper voice that used to fill the air. Shannon found this soundlessness unbearable to both his ears and his conscience. At first, he sat down by the campfire, but he couldn't remain still for long. His mind was wandering too much. Then, Shannon decided to start working, because that was the only way to distract those dark and unpleasant thoughts in his head. Strangely enough, doing manual labour was a relief to his stress. At the very least, he'd feel like he was occupying his time in a productive manner, rather than just sulking all morning.

"Hey Shannon, wait up!"

Just before Shannon entered the forest, he heard a female voice calling him from behind. It was Mai.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Mai exclaimed, fully aware of the irony. Shannon acknowledged her presence with an apathetic grunt. "So, what's on your exciting schedule today?"

"Firewood."

"Care for a sidekick? I'm an expert in handling morning wood if you know what I mean. Eh, eh?" Mai never missed an opportunity to slip a double entendre into her conversations, no matter how appropriate it may seem.

"I prefer to go alone." Shannon didn't sound too amused.

"Awesome. Let's go together!" Mai said dismissively. She linked arms with the swordsman and guided him to the forest. Shannon grumbled in annoyance, but he didn't bother protesting. After living with the assertive blonde for nearly a month, he learned how to choose his battles. He also learned that regardless of what the circumstances were, Mai _always_ got her way.

In a word, Shannon would describe Mai as a controversial woman. Love her or hate her, she provoked a reaction out of almost everyone. She certainly caused several uproars in _Survivor_ by narrowly escaping quite a few eliminations. They weren't always graceful escapes, but she was rescued by a well-played hidden immunity idol or a well-calculated change of vote. At the end, it only mattered that she was still playing the game. And Mai went through an amazing journey just to get to this point. She had to backstab every juror so far, and she was about to add one more to the list.

"Roy's ass is out of here at the next vote. I just want to let you know that I'm keeping my promise." Mai spoke with an impish twinkle in her eyes. As far as she was concerned, the colonel was a marked man at tribal council. "Can you believe it? Three days from now, you'll be the only guy left in the tribe. You'll be the _pimp_ of Sarutobi!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself." Shannon warned her, "What about immunity? What if Roy wins it?"

"Aw, Kari and I will depend on you to win the challenge for us, right?" Mai grinned. She rested her head on Shannon's shoulder, causing him to cringe a little as they made physical contact. It took her a few seconds before she noticed her mistake. "Oh shit, I forgot! Was that your bad arm?"

Mai was referring to the cut on Shannon's left arm, which he obtained during a mock swordfight with Zolo some time ago. The injury, like any of his other weaknesses, was not something he brought up very often.

"They took the bandages off a few days ago, but it still hurts sometimes," said Shannon.

"Sorry." Mai offered the swordsman an apologetic smile, which quickly turned into a mischievous one. "Ooh…I know just the cure! How would you like a special arm massage from _moi_?"

Shannon shot her a look of total disbelief.

"Come on! I give good massages!" Mai tried demonstrating her techniques through animated gestures with her hands. "They can help ease the tension in your muscles. Trust me, they're really relaxing!"

Shannon remained unenthused about the idea, but Mai was insistent. And of course, she always got her way in the end. They sat down under a tree, where he mumbled and grumbled before finally rolling up his sleeves, and the blonde began working her magic.

"How does it feel?" Mai asked after a while.

"You've a comforting touch." Shannon noted. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the soothing sensation in his arm. "You have very…masculine hands."

_That_ got a reaction out of Mai. She angrily pinched him in the arm, causing the swordsman to yelp in pain.

"I meant it as a compliment!"

"You can learn a thing or two from Roy about flattering girls." Mai laughed, while Shannon turned away in embarrassment. She resumed the massage on his arm. "You might have a bone to pick with him, but I bet you two can learn a lot from each other."

"Nothing about him is sincere," mumbled Shannon.

"Roy acts like a jackass sometimes, but he…" Mai paused for a moment. She wasn't sure if she should continue speaking or not. On one hand, she wants to fuel the rivalry for her own advantage. At the same time, she wants to clear that silly misunderstanding between the two men. Come to think of it, how sincere was Mai anyway? Wasn't she cut from the same cloth as Roy? "Never mind. I just think you two have more in common than what meets the eye."

"We're complete opposites."

"Give him a chance. Everyone deserves a chance."

"You want me to make up with him?" Shannon asked.

"Well…" Mai sighed. She had talked herself into a corner. "Do what you want, Shannon. You're _so_ good at it anyway."

_**Mai:**_ _Shannon is an interesting character alright. He isn't very open-minded about people, which can get kind of annoying sometimes. Honestly, I get along with Roy better, because at least he has a sense of humour. With that said, I'm really glad Shannon is part of my alliance. He seems like he's very honest and trustworthy. I do respect how he plays by his principles and how he never backstabs anyone. He has way more honour than me, that's for sure. I'm usually a good judge of character, so I don't think he'll double cross me. Even in a tiebreaker, I believe he won't change his vote. I trust him and Kari completely. They won't screw me over. They're good allies._

She flashed a confident grin at the camera.

_**Mai:**_ _Personally, I don't have a problem with Roy. He's cool beans in my book. I only want him gone because he's a big threat. He has Faye wrapped around his fingers, and Bulma is eating out of his hand as well. That's three votes on his side, and three votes on my side, so there'll probably be a tie at the next tribal council. If what happened last time was a good indicator, Bulma will chicken out again. She won't take a rock for anyone. So, I'm not too worried about a tiebreaker. I'm pretty sure the odds are stacked in my favour._

She nodded her head a few times.

_**Mai:**_ _If I have to go up against Roy in a showdown, I'll definitely emerge victorious. Yeah, I'm ready…bring it on!_

- - -

Kari Kamiya. Thirteen-years-old. Tiny as a mouse, and sweet as a baked cherry pie. She was barely a teenager, poor thing. And here she was, playing an adult's game that was far too cutthroat for her disposition. While she fared better than the other girls her age, such as Mina or Asuka, there was still an underlying notion that the DigiDestined simply didn't belong in _Survivor_. Some of the older castaways felt a need to censor themselves around a minor. In other words, they treated Kari with kiddie gloves. Everybody liked the young girl to a certain extent, but nobody really respected her as a player. They still perceived her as a harmless child.

Yes, she may have triggered one of the most influential moves in the game. And yes, she pretty much changed the entire direction of everybody's strategies. Yet, it was difficult to give Kari credit where it was due. Part of the reason was attributed to her innocent and wholesome image. Most players can accept the fact they were outwitted by the crafty Roy, outplayed by the conniving Mai, and outlasted by the persistent Shannon. But losing to Kari just didn't have the same edge. In fact, losing to a thirteen-years-old girl was just downright humiliating. Thus, a lot of players seemed doubtful about her capabilities in the game. And they began asking themselves…was Kari really a credible player?

Bulma, for one, did not think so.

As harsh as it may sound, Bulma held little respect for Kari Kamiya as a competitor. On a personal level, they got along just fine. Bulma even revealed her maternal side by treating Kari like a daughter. But on a strategic level, she didn't think highly of the young DigiDestined. After all, this was the same spineless girl who voted out Asuka and Guy, her supposed allies, when the pressure got to her. She probably couldn't make a decision if her life depended on it. In Bulma's eyes, Kari was still fragile, still hopelessly belief, and still prone to easy manipulation.

Which, of course, made her the perfect candidate for Bulma to brainwash over the next three days.

"Ah, we do have treemail!" Kari looked up at the inventor and smiled.

The young girl ran up to the mailbox, while Bulma followed her from behind. The two of them went on a treemail hike together this morning. It was the best way to have a one-on-one conversation in near privacy.

"Oh well. It's not like I'll win the reward challenge today." Kari chuckled, looking a little sheepish. "I'm just there to make everyone else look good. And that's fine. That's perfectly fine with me."

"You're too hard on yourself. Even I won a challenge, you know?" Bulma grinned.

"Do you think Mai will win again?" Kari asked.

"Well, she does call herself the Reward Queen." Bulma had to refrain herself from rolling her eyes in front of Kari. Her disdain for the blonde was reaching to a boiling point. "Then again, she has been on a mad winning streak lately. Alliances, rewards, votes…she's winning everything. At this rate, I won't be surprised if she won the game!"

Kari's smile faded away. She could sense what was coming. As discreet as Bulma could be sometimes, her lead-ins to strategy just weren't subtle enough.

"Bulma, I wish you wouldn't…"

"I know, I know, don't start with you, right?" Bulma laughed. At least she was aware of her transparent actions. "Just hear me out for a second. I'm considering your options in the long term."

_Here we go again._ Kari sighed. She wished, just once, that she could have a regular conversation in this game without it relating to strategy all the time.

"I don't think it's smart to stick with Mai, a known backstabber, and Shannon, a known threat." Bulma continued, "Mai will screw you over, while Shannon can pretty much take a dump in front of the jury and still win the game. Believe me, girl…you don't want to go to the end with those two."

_How do I put this nicely?_

"Thanks Bulma, but I think I'll play the game my own way." Kari said in a polite manner.

Although she tried to sound as diplomatic as possible, Bulma can read the emotions conveyed beneath the surface. This was probably Kari's version of a big 'eff you' in more or less words.

_**Bulma:**_ _I dread the purple rock. The first and last tie I encountered that tiebreaker, I changed votes faster than poor Holland could react to what was going on. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Mai anticipates at the next tribal council. She knows I'll chicken out in the case of a tie. May be I'm selfish, may be I'm just cowardly, but I won't draw those stupid rocks for anyone. I'd never put myself in a vulnerable position like that. Sorry Roy, but it was nice knowing you!_

She waved a metaphoric farewell to the camera.

_**Bulma:**_ _In order to avoid that awkward scenario, I need to convince Kari to change her vote. You know how she's always so honest and sweet and oh so nice to everybody? She's like the Snow White of Konoha as far as I'm concerned. Well, I think I can exploit that part of her personality. May be if I guilt trip her enough, she'll consider stabbing her allies in the back. Right now, I'm pretty much talking my mouth off until I have her convinced. She better get ready for Ms. Bulma pestering her ass twenty-four-seven! Hopefully this will work out because Kari has no backbone…not that I should be talking. As long as there's no tie, I'm a-okay!_

By the time they came back from their treemail trip, it was time for the reward challenge. However, Mai and Shannon were still absent from camp, so the other players were forced to wait for their return.

"Where is Mai anyway?" Kari asked, scanning her eyes around nowhere in particular. "I haven't seen her all morning."

"She's with Shannon. I saw them leave together earlier today," said Faye.

"Wow. Really?" Roy had an amused expression on his face. "That's a very interesting combination."

"Tell me about it. Weirdest couple ever? Seriously, do they even have anything in common?" Bulma chuckled to herself.

"Can you imagine how their conversation would go? Mai is probably like...OHHHHH SHANNON!" Roy suddenly began speaking in a high and sultry voice. It was a dead-on imitation of what Mai sounded like. To perfect the impersonation, he even pulled down his shirt collar, revealing his bare chest. This was an obvious jab to the blonde's preference for skimpy clothing that emphasized her breasts.

"Oh my god, you sound just like her! Do it again!" Bulma laughed.

"Let me declare my undying lust for you. I want you! I want you so badly! I want you to touch me inappropriately!" Roy exclaimed dramatically, "Do me in this forest right here right now!"

His exaggerated impersonation of Mai was funny enough, but then Roy decided to take his role-playing to another level. Now, he was speaking in a deeper and duller, which resembled Shannon's way of speaking. And that was the moment everybody lost it. All three women burst into hysterical laughter simultaneously.

"Where…uhhh…where do I insert this thing?" Roy grunted in his Shannon-esque voice.

"Roy!" Kari squealed, while covering her mouth in shock. Despite her reaction, she was actually laughing the loudest out of everyone. "You are so baaaaaaaaad! You're terrible! Just terrible!"

"The only way this could be more awkward is if Harley got involved somehow." Roy grinned. He changed his voice and mannerisms yet again, this time to match the Pokemon Coordinator's style. "HEY BITCHES! Room for one more?"

The rambunctious laughter escalated. Kari was giggling nonstop. Bulma laughed so hard that she was gasping for air. And even Faye, ice queen extraordinaire, could not contain her composure. Roy, of course, was enjoying his moment. He wore an impish grin on his face, like a mischievous schoolboy who just told a naughty joke to his friends.

"Roy Mustang, you crack my shit up. Seriously! You. Crack. My. Shit. Up!" Bulma guffawed.

"You're frikkin' hilarious." Faye echoed.

"Roy always knows how to make us laugh." Kari added, beaming.

"Young lady, I've been watching you. And quite frankly, I'm a little shocked that the loudest laughter came from you." Roy teased, turning his attention onto the young girl. "What would Tai think if he caught his little sister laughing at a joke like this?"

"You're a bad influence!" Kari blushed, but stuck out her tongue.

"Ah, glad to know I'm corrupting young pure minds. Brilliant." Roy grinned cheekily. And Kari just giggled again. "Hey, have you noticed that we never have this much fun unless Shannon is away somewhere?"

"Yeah, he doesn't really laugh at anything. He's so serious all the time." Kari nodded her head.

"Want to hear something funny? Shannon tells a joke." Roy grinned. He was definitely at his peak right now. "Which, in itself, is a pretty big joke, you know what I'm saying?"

"Stop it, Roy! You're so mean to Shannon!" Kari giggled.

"And yet you laugh with me…" Roy pointed out.

Bulma sat quietly as she watched the two continue their playful banter. She didn't catch what was happening at first, but now she realized what was happening – Roy Mustang was _working_ it. He pretty much recycled his usual charismatic shtick, yet Kari still fell for it like a sucker. That girl had no idea he was working his magic on her. She was far too young, far too naïve, and far too inexperienced about men to see right through Roy. Bulma admitted that she was not immune to his charming ways sometimes. All he had to do was crack a few one-liners and flash that million dollar smile, and she too went wobbly in the knees. But at least Bulma had enough self-awareness to distance herself from that man. She didn't fall in love with him just yet. Unlike Kari, who looked pretty darn smitten with Roy. Perhaps she even had a tiny crush on him, perfectly reasonable for a girl her age.

Contrary to what Mai may think, the outcome of the next tribal council was not set in stone yet. She actually had not secured Kari's vote as a sure thing. Yes, Shannon was an easy sell because he pretty much despised Roy since the beginning. But Kari was a different case. She was friends with the charming colonel who always brought a smile to her face. He was funny, he was kind, he was almost brotherly – what was there not to like about him? In fact, Kari liked Roy just as much as she liked Mai. She had an allegiance to _both_ of them.

Kari didn't know it yet, but she was about to face a very interesting dilemma. Over the next three days, as Mai and Raw draw their battle lines on the ground, she will find herself caught in the middle between her two friendships. Not only will she have to choose between them, but she also had to stab one of her friends in the back. For now, however, she still lived in blissful ignorance. She still believed that Faye was the next person slated to go.

But very soon, the world was going to crash down on Kari Kamiya.

Very soon, her experience in _Survivor_ will be shot straight to hell.

- - -

Faye arrived at the reward challenge today under one motivation: she will win. She didn't care what the reward was, she didn't care what the challenge was, but she seemed determine to win it anyway. Ever since surviving the last tribal council, Faye adopted a totally new strategy in the game. She planned to win every immunity from now on all the way to the Final Two. This reward challenge was like a practice run. Plus, Faye never enjoyed the luxury of a reward trip before. She was always the one who had to stay back at camp and listen to Mai's fantastic stories afterwards. Hell, even Kari got to ride on a hot air balloon last time, and that useless girl _never_ wins anything! So, Faye thought it was a downright embarrassment if she lost another reward challenge again.

So, it was just her luck when Iruka announced that they would be competing in teams today.

And it was exactly Faye's kind of luck when she ended up with Kari as a partner.

"Sorry you're stuck with me." Kari smiled weakily. Earlier, the players had drawn rocks from a bag to determine the teams, and the two of them happened to pick the same colour. "I'll try my best."

"We'll win it anyway." Faye smirked. She was determined to win this challenge even if she got saddled with Kari for a team member. They were going to win this challenge no matter what. Victory was imminent.

In a way, the other team combinations were just as ironic. Mai and Bulma were together, while Shannon and Roy made up the third team.

"This challenge requires both brains and brawn, so you'll need to utilize each other's strengths effectively." Iruka explained, while Faye cast a sideward doubtful glance at Kari. "In each team, one person is the 'brawn' – he or she has to push a cart around the forest while _blindfolded_. Inside the cart is the other team member, also known as the 'brain'. This person is responsible for navigating the cart to the three different stations in the forest. In every station, there is a number written on a wooden sign. After travelling to the three stations, you will return to the starting line, where the 'brain' must recite the three numbers correctly. First team to finish all of the above will win the reward!"

"What happens if we get the numbers wrong?" Kari raised her hand.

"You'll have to start over from the beginning," replied Iruka.

To increase the stakes, Iruka decided to tease the players by not revealing the reward right now, although he did hint it was the most worthwhile one thus far. Whatever the reward was, he confirmed that both team members will share it together.

And without further ado, the challenge commenced.

Shannon and Roy gained an early lead, since the swordsman was by far the most athletic 'brawn' out of the three teams. However, Faye and Kari actually surpassed them before they reached the first station. The two girls had an obvious weight advantage, since Kari was very light, thus making the cart very easy to push. Her instructions were also clear enough so that the blindfolded Faye could navigate without problem. By the time they arrived at the first station, their lead over the other teams was substantial. Kari took a moment to memorize the four digit number written on the sign:

**8 5 4 9**

"Okay, I think I'll remember it. Let's go." Kari told her partner. "The next station is on our left. Turn the cart to a forty-five degree and go left."

A minute or so later, Shannon and Roy arrived at the first station. The two men got lost a few times in the forest, but they pulled their act together and were beginning to pick up their lost momentum. Roy glanced at the board, mumbled the numbers to himself a few times, and then told his partner to leave for the next station.

"That fast?" Shannon asked in disbelief.

"I've a good memory." Roy assured him. "Come on! We have to catch up!"

Dead last in the challenge was Bulma and Mai, who argued back and forth due to a lack of cooperation together. They went in the wrong direction many times, partly because of Bulma's unclear instructions and partly because of Mai not listening properly. They lost even more time at the first station, because Bulma took forever to memorize the four numbers. Finally, after much impatient nagging from Mai, the two of them departed.

Faye and Kari maintained their lead as they arrived at the second station; however, the guys were hot on their trail. They were definitely catching up. A sense of urgency crept onto Faye, so she picked up her pace. Kari, sitting inside the cart, was feeling a little carsick, but decided not to mention anything about it. She was relieved when the cart stopped, because they finally arrived at the second station. This time, there were only three numbers on the wooden board:

**1 7 6**

Kari drilled the numbers in her head, but was distracted when another team arrived at the station. Despite their best efforts, the two guys had caught up. Then, to her surprise, Roy only took a few moments to memorize the numbers before he instructed Shannon to leave.

_He remembered the number already!?_ Kari thought, panic-stricken.

"Focus, Kari." Faye offered some words of encouragement. "Don't mind the guys. We can pass them again."

Nonetheless, Kari didn't want to stall any longer. She repeated the numbers to herself one last time, and then the two of them raced to the next station.

Once again, the last team to arrive was Mai and Bulma. They weren't arguing so much as before, but they were already so behind everyone else that they stood little chance of winning the challenge. It was clearly a two-horse race. A discouraged Bulma took her time to memorize the second set of numbers. Better safe than sorry. She could only hope the other teams would get their numbers wrong and start the whole race again.

Roy and Shannon arrived at the third station seconds before Faye and Kari showed up as well. The two teams were now in a neck-to-neck race. The final set of numbers consisted:

**3 2 0**

"I'm done. Go!" Roy yelled out. Once again, he memorized the numbers in an incredible speed. Shannon seemed sceptical about his partner's memory, but who was he to challenge the 'brain'?

"I'm done too! We have to go now!" Kari exclaimed as well.

Both teams left the final station at the same time. As the last part of their challenge, they must head back to the starting point and recite all ten numbers to Iruka.

On the surface, Shannon seemed like he had an edge in a footrace because of his athletic prowess. Faye, however, was determined not to lose the challenge today. Victory was the only thought on her mind. The bounty huntress was dashing through the forest so fast that Kari had to grab onto the cart for her dear life, otherwise she might get thrown off. The fragile girl also felt a flood of vomit surfacing in her throat, but she held it together like a true trooper. She too wanted to win this challenge and beat the boys so badly.

Outside the forest, Iruka waited for the first team to show up. He could hear the voices of people yelling out instructions frantically. They were getting closer and closer.

Finally, Faye and Kari emerged.

_First_.

"Kari and Faye, you're the first team to arrive." Iruka declared, while the two girls cheered in excitement. Roy and Shannon showed up as well, but they were just a few seconds too late. "Kari, please tell me the ten numbers."

"Eight, five, nine, four," Kari took a deep breath. "Seven, one, six…" She paused again, looking hesitant, "…three, two, zero."

"I'm sorry. That is incorrect."

Before Faye and Kari had any time to react, Iruka turned to the next team – Roy and Shannon – for the answer.

"Eight, five, four, nine, one, seven, six, three, two, zero." Roy recited, quite gracefully, in one breath. After he finished, he looked up at Iruka with a confident smile. Because he _knew_. Not only was his memory top-notch, but he also recognized a certain _logic_ behind the arrangement of the numbers. "Kari, the numbers were listed alphabetically. That's why it's so easy for me to remember them."

Upon hearing his explanation, Kari felt like the dumbest girl in the world.

"Roy is correct." Iruka nodded his head, but flashed a sad smile at the two girls. "Congratulations, Roy and Shannon! Here's what the two of you have won – tomorrow morning, you'll visit the Ninja Academy and become honorary ninjas for a day. You'll get to spend time with some of the brightest children of our generation. In addition, you will also have dinner with the Fifth Hokage at her favourite restaurant. Sounds good?"

"It sounds delightful." Roy smiled.

Feeling totally humiliated, Kari knew she owed her partner an apology. She had let Faye down by forgetting the numbers at the critical moment. But when she turned towards Faye, the bounty huntress just walked away, very coldly, without uttering one word to the young DigiDestined. It was more than obvious that Faye did not take her loss like a gracious loser. Damn it, this should have been _her_ challenge! She had it in the bag until the last second! How on earth could she have lost!? Again!? Meanwhile, Roy and Shannon exchanged silent glances with each other, uncertain if they should celebrate in the midst of so much tension. This definitely felt like a very awkward moment.

Just then, Mai and Bulma exited from the forest. Even at a distance, Mai's enthusiastic voice could be heard by everybody.

"Soooooo, who won!?"

- - -

After losing the reward challenge, Faye made it clear to everybody that she was one pissed off woman. Her anger was directed towards her brainless partner who couldn't even remember ten simple numbers to save her life. She knew from the get-go that Kari was useless, but she never quite realized how absolutely incompetent she was.

"How pathetic is she? I basically dragged her ass around the forest, sweating like crazy, and all she had to do was remember those ten stupid numbers! That's it! It's not like she was asked to memorize the first hundred digits of Pi! It's just ten numbers! And she can't even do that!" Faye exclaimed indignantly. She was venting to Bulma inside the shelter. "She's totally useless! She's like a total failure at everything she does!"

By now, Faye had broken out of her silent spell and began trashing Kari behind her back. Except, of course, the bounty huntress was hardly keeping her disdain on the down low. She pretty much complained to anybody who would listen. In fact, her voice was so loud that even Mai and Kari, seated around the campfire, could hear what Faye was saying.

"Hey, Kari is sitting right here! She can hear everything!" Mai yelled out, "Why don't you be a little more considerate when you're badmouthing people behind their backs!?"

"Stay out of this! Why do you have to stick your nose in everything!? Why do you always have to fight Kari's battles!?" Faye made a face.

"Get over it already! You're acting like a sore loser! It's a damn challenge!" Mai raised her voice. She and Faye were sitting at opposite sides of the camp, and they were pretty much screaming at each other. "I lost the challenge today because of Bulma's directions! You don't see me bitching about it every second!"

"Don't blame it all on me! Who do you think you are, missy!?" Bulma exclaimed.

"Everyone, please stop arguing!" Kari added her opinion in the mix, but her voice was drowned out by the other three women. "We just need to cool down and…"

"Why don't you shut up!? Nobody wants to listen to you!"

"LEAVE KARI ALONE!"

Meanwhile, Roy and Shannon quietly retreated in the forest, unscathed. All of a sudden, the two men found each other's companionship a lot more tolerable.

"Yikes." Roy smiled sheepishly at the swordsman. "For once, I'm glad we aren't the ones at each other's throats."

"We make a good team." Shannon nodded his head.

_**Faye**_**:** _I'm just really annoyed at Kari, because she totally screwed up the challenge today. I think I've a very good reason to be angry. But of course, that raging bitch Mai wouldn't let me express an opinion. Whatever. I'm so over her. I'm so over the both of them. It doesn't matter what they think of me anymore. They all hate me anyway. They hated me from the start. So, everybody can just suck it! I DON'T CARE!_

The arguing simmered down a few minutes later. Faye said her piece, Mai said her piece, and they spoke to each other for the rest of the evening. Come to think of it, they all felt pretty silly bickering over a challenge that none of them won. Why argue? What difference did it make anyway? They still had to live with each other for the next few days, regardless of the outcome. Kari, in particular, didn't understand why people take out their nonsensical frustrations on each other. She just wanted everybody to get along, was that so wrong?

"Are you still upset?" Mai whispered to Kari, while stroking the young girl's hair.

"I'm not upset. I…I'm just really, really exhausted. I'm exhausted with everything." Kari sighed, putting her head down. "That challenge was very demanding, both physically and mentally. I feel a little sick. I want to lie down. The last thing I want to deal with right now is more drama."

"There, there. Don't let Faye get to you. She's bonkers." Mai rolled her eyes. "We're so voting her out right after we take care of Roy."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kari raised her head, curious.

"Oh right, I've been meaning to tell you this." Mai said with a tiny smile. "I think…we should pull one on Roy at the next tribal council. He's too powerful if we let him get any further in the game. I talked with Shannon already. He's cool. Are you on board?"

"I...I thought…" Kari's heart dropped instantly. "I thought we were voting out Faye."

"Faye is just an annoying girl who won't win. She isn't a big threat. Roy, on the other hand, is…" Mai explained.

Kari didn't say anything for a while, which made Mai feel somewhat concerned. All along, she naturally assumed that Kari will agree to her brilliant plan – no crisis, no complications, and no drama. Apparently, that was not the case.

"But Roy is my friend." Kari stated.

"He's my friend too. I mean, I like the guy, but sometimes that's what you have to do to get ahead." Mai shrugged her shoulders.

"If you're so willing to vote him out, how much can I trust _you_?" Kari muttered. Like it or not, Bulma's daunting words were echoing in her head. "How do I know you won't vote me out at the next tribal council?"

"I don't want you to get the wrong impression!" Mai laughed nervously. "I'll never backstab you, Kari. You're the one person I'll stay loyal to for the rest of the game. I promise. I want to go to the end with you."

"I do too, but not like this. I don't want to get where I am by lying and betraying others." Kari bit her lips. "I know it's the nature of the game, but I won't participate unless it's really necessary."

Now, it was Mai's turn to be quiet for a few moments. She thought over Kari's words in her head, and then thought about a way to form a counter-argument. The blonde chose her words wisely, hoping that she wouldn't offend the DigiDestined unintentionally.

"Kari, I'm not forcing you to do anything that you don't want. That's cool." Mai looked up at her friend with a reassuring smile. "Personally, I feel like Roy has everything to succeed in this game. He has both brains and brawn. He has the likability factor. He has a lot of power. And he definitely has the votes to take me out of the game. I'm pretty sure he'll backstab me in the near future, and if I don't get rid of him now, I'll be going home instead."

Kari stared at her feet, looking very guilty. She didn't know how to respond, so she said nothing.

"What you do with your vote is your business. I'm just explaining my perspective and why I want to vote out Roy." Mai continued, "I don't think it makes me a bad person…"

"No, I never thought you were!"

"I know, I know, but a lot of other people do." Mai smiled defiantly. "I don't think I'm a bad person either. I'm just a hardcore player."

_**Kari:**_ _I really admire Mai. I kind of look up to her as a role model. She's very self-confident, very assertive, and very articulate. She's everything I'm not. But as much as I respect her, I don't always agree with her strategy. Right now, I feel like she's making the same mistake as Guy. She's rocking the boat and making it sink faster than necessary. I don't think we should vote out Roy yet. I really like him. I respect him a lot too. The problem is I'm having a case of déjà vu. My heart is telling me to keep Roy, but my brain is saying that I can't go against Mai. Because…because I still think about what happened with Asuka to this day._

She hugged her arms around her knees.

_**Kari:**_ _And I just don't want to make the same mistake again…_

- - -

**DAY 32**

Early morning, Roy and Shannon departed camp, and travelled to the village of Konoha for their reward. Iruka was an informative tour guide, showing them the many tourist attractions in his hometown. After a lengthy trip, they arrived at the Ninja Academy. A hoard of children stood outside the window, waving excitedly at their new visitors. Among them was one young boy named Konohamaru, who graduated from the school some time ago. He greeted Iruka with a big friendly hug.

"Let me introduce you to everyone. As you may know, I'm an instructor in my regular day job, aside from hosting Survivor." Iruka smiled proudly. "These are some of my students. They'll be showing you around the place today. And this kid right here is Konohamaru, a recent graduate. Feel free to ask him any questions." Iruka clapped his hands together. "Everyone, please give a warm welcome to our ninjas for a day – Roy and Shannon!"

Applause.

"C'mon, let's go inside." Iruka gestured his hand at the door. "You two can be my students. I'm teaching a special class today."

"I can't wait." Roy muttered sarcastically.

_**Roy:**_ _I've a shameful confession to make. I really hate kids. Nope, never liked those annoying little brats. They act so immature and irresponsible. I just can't relate to them. Kari is an obvious exception. And I suppose, Ed and Al as well. But all three of them are wise beyond their years. They're practically adults. Especially Ed, he's like a cranky forty-years-old man trapped in a five-years-old's body._

The colonel grinned in delight. He can picture Ed throwing a hissy fit if he heard what Roy was saying about him right now.

_**Roy:**_ _To be perfectly honest, I'm not too thrilled about this reward. Spending the whole day with those snivelling kids, on top of being accompanied by Shannon…man, can it get any worse? I just hope I don't need to change any diapers._

There were about thirty children in total, plus Roy and Shannon, who sat at the back of the classroom together. Iruka began teaching his lesson right away. He wrote down some basic theoretical notes on the blackboard, while the students copied down the material on their parchments. Five minutes in, Roy already looked bored out of his mind. He had no desire to learn about the history of Konoha or whatnot. So, he rested his head on the desk, hoping to catch some shut-eye in the next few hours. At least he'd get a peaceful nap out of this reward.

"HEY! PAY ATTENTION!"

Iruka hurled a tiny piece of chalk at the snoozing colonel. It hit him right in the forehead. Roy immediately looked up, startled at what just happened. What the hell? Did he just get chalk thrown in his face?

"You should know better than that, Roy Mustang. I will not tolerate any delinquent behaviour in my class." Iruka scolded, "These kids are looking up to you as a role model. Start acting like one!"

"Oooooh, someone just got schooled by Iruka-sensei." Konohamaru said in a teasing manner. The kids surrounding him went wild. They were loving this.

"Come on, I'm not even a student here! Let me sleep. I'm not bothering anyone." Roy protested.

"The classroom is a sanctuary for learning. If you want to take a nap, then you have no right to be here." Iruka narrowed his eyes. "In fact, I don't believe you deserve that right anymore. Kids, what do you think?"

"PUN-ISH HIM! PUN-ISH HIM! PUN-ISH HIM! PUN-ISH HIM!"

Roy was totally overwhelmed by the mob's chanting. These children, who were all smiles and giggles a moment ago, instantly turned _vicious_. They were even more two-faced than him! However, he was even more surprised that Shannon, of all people, joined in with the chorus. Roy couldn't believe what he was seeing. The stern swordsman was actually participating along with this immature mob mentality!

"Roy, why don't you stand in the hallway for five minutes? You can reflect how much trouble you've caused so far," said Iruka.

"Uh, you aren't being serious, are you?" Roy asked nervously.

"GO OUT-SIDE! GO OUT-SIDE! GO OUT-SIDE! GO OUT-SIDE!"

The children began chanting again. Roy desperately tried to defend himself, but his voice was drowned out among the many others. In the meantime, Shannon had a hand draped over his mouth, while snickering quietly to himself.

"In thirty two days, this is the first time I've seen you laugh. All I can say is…_wow_. You're actually laughing. Laughing at me." Roy turned towards the swordsman with a lopsided smile. "Wow. Forget immunity. I've won the most difficult challenge of all. I made Shannon Casull laugh!"

"Well, I do find your current situation mildly amusing." Shannon smirked.

"I'm so glad you see the humour in this, because I don't!" Roy dropped his head in defeat. Despite his words, the colonel was chuckling as well. Okay, he admitted this was kind of funny – a thirty-years-old man getting kicked out of a classroom in the first five minutes. Even the children were better-behaved than him. Hell, come to think of it, he thought this was pretty frikkin' hilarious!

"Roy. Out. Hallway. Now." Iruka demanded.

The only person not laughing was Iruka. As an authoritative figure in the classroom, he needed to demonstrate self-control in front of his students. He wore a very serious expression on his face, indicating to Roy that the order was not a joke.

"I can't believe this is happening. This is ridiculous. It's unbelievable. I'm so pathetic." Roy buried his face into his hands. He slid out of his chair, albeit reluctantly. "Alright, alright, I'll stand in the stupid hallway. I hope you guys are happy." He headed towards the door, but stopped for a brief moment. "Hey, when's recess? Because I don't think I can stand another minute of this torture…"

- - -

Hours passed, and the morning lesson ended at last. Roy and Shannon finally had a chance to interact with the children during lunchtime. Unsurprisingly, Roy was very popular with the young girls, who were dazzled by his fancy alchemy tricks and colourful stories about his homeland. The boys were more drawn to Shannon, who broke out of his usual quiet stupor and answered questions about the _Survivor_ experience. In a way, these children treated the two men like celebrities at the Ninja Academy. The fact they were foreigners to Konoha made them so fascinating and mysterious.

"What happened to your eye?" A girl asked, curiously, pointing at Roy's patch over his left eye.

"Want to see what's behind this patch?" Roy grinned. His offer was met with mixed responses from the children. Some were excited, while others were terrified. "Not many people know this, but I can see the _future_ with my missing eye."

"Are you seeeeeerious?"

"No way!"

"That's so cool!"

"It's bullshit. You guys are so gullible." Konohamaru rolled his eyes. He had the distinctive difference of being slightly older than the other children. "Roy is totally lying."

"Hey! Watch your language, punk." Roy grabbed Konohamaru, held him in an armlock, and gave the young boy a noogie. "What are you? A lie detector?"

"Mustang, stop scaring the children," said Shannon.

And Roy snickered. The swordsman was in an awfully good mood today. He was talking, laughing, and even making jokes at Roy's expense. He seemed a lot more relaxed ever since attending this reward, as did Roy. Being away from camp definitely had a positive impact on their attitudes. Who knew Shannon was capable of _enjoying_ something anyway?

The afternoon portion of the reward was far more interesting, at least in Roy's opinion. Instead of staying inside a classroom, Iruka took his students to the training grounds, where they learned some practical applications. Furthermore, Konohamaru and several other children performed in a special talent show, demonstrating many tricks and techniques to their two guests. The kids threw shuriken at a ten-foot target with perfect secrecy. Then, they summoned small animals from who-knows-where. And that impressive feat was topped by Konohamaru transforming into all types of objects and people however he desired.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

The young boy duplicated two versions of himself.

"Substitution Jutsu!"

Konohamaru and his clone disappeared into thin air. They were replaced by two pieces of logs.

"Sexy no Jutsu!"

Suddenly, a seductive woman appeared in front of them, beautiful and skimpily dressed. She only appeared for a few seconds before Konohamaru changed back to himself, but this jutsu was enough to provoke a reaction out of Roy. He clapped and hollered, and was on the near verge of a nosebleed. As for Shannon, he was unshockable, albeit he felt a little embarrassed about Roy's reaction.

"And that's all, folks!" Konohamaru bowed after his performance.

"It ended on a high note, that's for sure." Roy clapped enthusiastically.

"Way to be a role model." Shannon smirked.

"Thanks, Roy. That means a lot to us." Konohamaru smiled, looking quite pleased with himself. "We only had a few days to put this show together, so we weren't sure if it'll be interesting or not. I'm really glad you liked it!"

"I _loved_ it. That was amazing! I was so impressed!" Roy gave the children a thumbs-up. "Well done, everyone!"

_**Roy:**_ _That talent show was by far the highlight of my day. I don't want to call those kids freaks or anything, har har, but it was almost like watching a circus performance. Or like a magic show, if that's a better way to put it. Some of the things they did were incredible. My jaw literally dropped on the floor. I found the jutsu almost as fascinating as alchemy, except they're being performed by a bunch of kids, no older than eleven-years-old. And I think that was the most amazing part. They really made an impression on me. If these kids are the youth of tomorrow, I think Konoha should be very proud about the next generation._

He nodded his head a few times.

_**Roy:**_ _The reward wasn't as bad as I thought. Yeah, the lecture was pretty boring, but spending time with the kids made up for it. In a way, all of them are still children – they're so innocent and naïve about life. At the same time, they're more competent and experienced in some fields than I'll ever be. I respect them a lot. Now, I can't say I'll miss those little brats when I leave, but I did enjoy my experience at the Academy. It was rejuvenating. In the end, I'm really glad that I won this reward. It almost made me feel like a kid again._

- - -

Sometimes, the illusion that Konoha was a cheerful and perpetually beautiful locale would fade away on certain days. Today was one of those days. Gone were the clear skies, the crisp air, and the radiant sun; now replaced by a sheet of forlorn gloom hanging in the sky. The weather here might be sunny and pleasant ninety-five percent of the time, but when it rained, it _really_ poured. This afternoon, not only was there a heavy downpour, but in addition, the winds were ferocious and thunders roared every so often. For the four women stuck at camp, huddled like frightened cattle inside the shelter, it was quickly established that today would be a miserable day.

Kari Kamiya did not fare well under the terrible weather. All day, her body felt weak and exhausted, as if she was a few moments away from a fainting spell. Her head was spinning, her throat was dry, and her feet were trembling in the cold. She spent the entire afternoon lying on her back, rolling uncomfortably, and snivelling like an ill child. The other women were worried about her condition. They always knew she was a fragile girl, but never had Kari revealed this much vulnerability before.

"Poor thing. Are you going to be alright?" Mai asked, sounding concerned. Every so often, she or Faye would take turns leaving the shelter, out into the pouring rain, and make trips to the water hole so Kari can stay hydrated. "Do you need more water? I can get it for you."

"I'm fine." Kari mumbled feebly.

"I just wish there was some way we could help you…but I don't know what to do." Bulma sighed.

Faye stared aimlessly at the horizon, not speaking at all. Although she wouldn't admit it to anybody, the bounty huntress felt weighed down by a horrendous guilt. Yesterday, she got into a heated argument with the DigiDestined over that reward challenge, but now it seemed like a petty and trivial matter. Looking back, she regretted acting so harsh to the young girl, not if she knew Kari would be so sick the next day. Did Faye feel like a horrible person afterwards? Yes, absolutely, but there was little she can do to make up for those ugly words that left her mouth. Instead, she chose not to say anything anymore. She can repent through a self-imposed silence, and hopefully her remorse would be slowly washed way.

"When will this storm end?" Mai moaned, while wrapping herself in a black jacket. "It hasn't stopped raining for hours!"

"I wonder how the boys are doing. I bet they're dry and happy. God, wherever they are, I hope they get struck by lightning!" Bulma joked. She paused for a few seconds before speaking again. "Was that too mean? Sorry, the weather is making me a bitch. More than usual anyway."

"I can't believe they won the challenge. I mean, I can believe the two strongest guys winning it, but not just together. I thought they hated each other." Mai chuckled a little. It was possibly the first time she laughed all afternoon. "Should we be worried now? Will they team up from now on?"

"That'll be the day!" Bulma laughed as well.

"They may not team up, but we can…" Mai said, choosing her words in a careful manner. She observed the other women for their reactions. "While the boys are away, the girls shall play."

Faye turned her head around, feeling interested in the conversation all of a sudden.

"What do you mean?" Faye asked.

"Well, I've been thinking about girl power or whatnot. Would it be cool if all four chicks made it to the end together? I think that'd be awesome." Mai shrugged her shoulders, trying to act casually. "If the four of us pool our votes together, we'd be unstoppable."

"You're willing to vote out Shannon?" Bulma raised an eyebrow.

"Not before Roy. He's clearly the much bigger threat," replied Mai.

"For you, may be." Faye muttered under her breath. For a second there, she actually got her hopes up. She thought there might be a way to get rid of Shannon at the next tribal council. But of course, Mai only brought up girl power as a vehicle to take down Roy, which was something both Faye and Bulma knew already. They all had different objectives in this game. This alliance would have never worked. "Sorry, I'm not interested unless the target is Shannon."

Bulma thought the same thing, although she didn't express it out loud. She desperately wanted to prevent a tie, but she wasn't about to betray Roy _and_ put herself in a disadvantageous position. Besides, she couldn't expect Mai to keep her word anyway.

"We can vote him out at the final five tribal council, but Roy has to go first. C'mon, don't you want to pull one over the guys?" Mai tried negotiating.

Faye and Bulma exchanged dubious glances with each other. Judging from their looks, Mai arrived at the same realization as the bounty huntress. They didn't like each other, they didn't trust each other, and they clearly didn't want to go to the end with each other. This alliance was doomed to fail. They should forget she ever mentioned it, because it will never come to fruition.

_**Mai:**_ _I think it's very possible for women to work together and succeed, but just not this group of women. In terms of strategy and personality, we're too different. I mean, I was cool with the idea, that's why I suggested it. I was hoping I could duplicate the success of the Vixens, but Faye and Bulma weren't too keen on working with me. Here I was, offering them a way to avoid the tiebreaker, and they refused! Hey, it's their loss. Sticking with Roy will be their downfalls, not mine. It isn't my problem they want to stay on the losing team._

With their one spark of excitement diminished, the four women fell into a lapse of silence again. And the tedious melancholy continued.

- - -

Drenched from head to toe, Shannon was relieved when he stepped into the restaurant at last, if only because there was a roof over his head. The restless storm grew worse during the evening. It wasn't just raining anymore, but there was thunder, and ferocious winds, and a sense of gloom hanging in the air, as if something unfortunate was about to happen. The weather proved to be a slight dent in Shannon's otherwise enjoyable day. For a brief moment, he was worried about how the other players fared in the storm. But once he arrived at the restaurant, and the solacing warmth of indoors enveloped his body, those momentary concerns were pushed to the back of his mind.

The only problem Shannon had at the moment, as he gazed his eyes down the menu, was figuring out what dish to order for dinner tonight.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Tsunade-sama." Roy smiled at the blonde busty woman across the table, also known as the Fifth Hokage. As the second part of their reward, he and Shannon had the honour of eating dinner with the Konoha legend. "You look stunning, by the way."

"Cute." Tsunade smirked, eyeing the colonel from head to toe, as if he was a fresh piece of meat for her picking. "But you're not my type. Way too scrawny."

Roy appeared somewhat discouraged, while Shannon snickered quietly. In all fairness, the colonel couldn't be blamed for losing his muscular build after thirty two days of starving.

"So, you guys are playing that _Survivor_ game, right?" Tsunade asked, sounding intrigued. "I remember Guy is one of the contestants. Made a whole spiel about how he loved challenges and how he loved Konoha. It was supposed to be his vacation time. How's he coping so far?"

"He got voted off right before the merge," replied Shannon.

"I figured as much." Tsunade laughed.

Dinner with the Fifth Hokage was less formal than Roy or Shannon anticipated. Tsunaded turned out to be a gracious, easygoing, and humorous host. She told the men stories about ninja culture, and she also seemed interested in hearing more about their _Survivor_ experience. In a matter of minutes, they were chatting, laughing, and joking like old acquaintances – well, at least on Roy's behalf. Shannon tried to be sociable to the best of his ability. He emerged out of his shell a little, and even demonstrated his quiet wit several times throughout the night. He obviously wasn't a ball of fun, but it was still a start in the right direction. He did have a lot of fun today. Yes. _Fun_. This three-lettered word never contained much significance in Shannon's vocabulary until today. It probably never even existed until Roy showed him the light.

"I don't quite understand how this works. So, the six of you competed against each other, and you guys won the opportunity to have dinner with me? It's a reward challenge? Hmm." Tsunade paused for a moment, and surveyed the two men across the table. She grinned cheekily at them. "It looks more like a first date to me."

"And may be if I'm drunk enough, Shannon could get lucky tonight." Roy played along, chuckling.

"I'm not interested." Shannon said, very seriously.

"Let's see what you say a few drinks later, eh?" Roy nudged his companion in the shoulder. The swordsman looked down at his bowl, rather uncomfortably, but said nothing in response. "Sorry if I'm pulling a Mai, heh. It's the sake speaking. And thirty two days of pent-up sexual energy. Okay, I'll stop now."

"What goes through your perverse mind sometimes, Roy Mustang, I never want to know." Shannon muttered.

Roy laughed out loud.

_**Roy:**_ _I guess blue moons do exist. Shannon and I actually put aside our differences and treated each other almost like we were…friends. It felt like I was meeting him for the first time, except we didn't start off on the wrong foot. I'm starting to see him in a different light. He may not be as stubborn as I originally thought. Now, I don't think we'll ever be friends, but we definitely found some middle ground tonight. Yeah, Shannon is kind of a douchebag at times, but hey, so am I._

He folded his arms across his chest.

_**Roy:**_ _I'm not making nice with Shannon because I need his vote at the next tribal council, nor is it because we're the only two guys left in the game. I just…I'm just tired of competing with him. No more petty arguments. No more silly rivalries. I'd like to think I'm a better man than that. Life is too short to hold a grudge. And I'm willing to let bygones be bygones, but first we'll have to see if Shannon reciprocates this gesture._

The weather outside made it virtually impossible for Roy and Shannon to travel back to camp. Tsunade insisted they spend the night in the village, despite it not being part of their reward. After all, no guests of hers will leave Konoha during a raging storm like this. Due to the presented circumstances, Iruka justified, the rules were adjustable. Hence, the Fifth Hokage provided accommodations at her house. Even though they weren't allowed to use any facilities besides the beds, both Roy and Shannon felt grateful enough to spend the night indoors.

"The storm is killer." Roy stared out the window and frowned. "I'd hate to sleep out there tonight. Did we luck out or not?"

"It doesn't seem fair that the others are suffering," Shannon noted.

Of course. The question of fairness. Leave it to Shannon Casull, a truly honourable man, to contemplate whether or not he deserved this additional part of the reward. Was it really fair? Probably not. Was there anything he can do about it? Probably not, unless he opted to sleep in the rain tonight on his own accord. And even Shannon, as righteous as he can be, did not go to such extremes.

"I wonder what the girls are doing at this moment." Roy said, thinking out loud. He turned to his companion with a sly smile. "Who knows? They might have formed an alliance against us. I won't be surprised."

"Somehow, I don't believe strategy is an urgent priority of theirs right now. Not in this weather," said Shannon.

"Of course they'll strategize. What else can they do in this weather?" Roy smirked. "Women talk a lot in this game, Shannon. Ohhhh, how they talk!"

"Just shut up and sleep." Shannon declared conclusively, signalling an abrupt end to their discussion. He rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. The swordsman had a very enjoyable time tonight, and he was not about to let strategy talk taint his impression. "Goodnight, Roy."

And that was the extent of their one and only game-related conversation today. Roy sighed in defeat. He should have known. Stubborn, as always. Talking strategy to Shannon was like talking to a brick wall. Oh well. At least Roy gave the swordsman an intriguing thought to sleep on for the night.

"Goodnight."

Soon, the two men retired to their beds and drifted off to sleep. Good night, sweet dreams, and peaceful slumber all awaited them. After a whirlwind of adventures, the day was finally over. When they woke up tomorrow, the storm would be over and the sun would shine a little brighter. It was as if only the best parts of the reward would linger in their memories.

But as for the ladies in Sarutobi, their night was just getting started…

- - -

Shivering in the cold, and wrapped around a thin blanket that barely covered her body, Faye thought to herself this must be the _worst_ day of her life. Literally. It was even worse than the time she had dozens of guns pointed at her direction. Literally. On top of being cold, wet, and downright demoralized, she also had not eaten for the past twenty four hours. The heavy rainstorm made it impossible to cook any food, or do anything productive in general. Faye couldn't even sleep because the ambient noises sounded so intrusive. Hours and hours passed by, slowly, dreadfully, and painfully. The bounty huntress wrapped her arms tightly around her knees, daring herself not to cry. This was the worst experience ever. Literally.

Then, the shelter roof collapsed.

It happened almost without a warning. The four women had been sitting there, dozing off, when Bulma suddenly noticed a strange creaking noise above them. She looked up, and saw the wooden beams cracking apart.

"It's gonna fall!" Bulma shrieked.

"Get out! Everyone! Now" Mai screamed. She grabbed Kari's hand and yanked the young girl away from the shelter, moments before the wooden ceiling toppled over. After a huge sigh of relief, the blonde did a quick headcount: one, two, three, four. If there was any solace, at least they all escaped without a scratch, even if all their possessions were buried in the debris.

"Can this night get any worse?" Faye stared bitterly at the fallen shelter. Great. Just great. Now, they didn't even have a place to stay dry anymore. All they had were their crappy raincoats, which barely shielded them from rain or wind. "It's official. We have hit rock bottom. We can't sink any lower than this."

But they did.

- - -

There was an emergency. _Another_ emergency. Normally, a collapsing shelter was enough excitement for one night, but their downward spiral continued to fall. Before the women had time to calm their nerves, and before they even had time to collect their senses, their second crisis arose as soon as they avoided the first one. And unlike the previous incident, they couldn't resolve this problem by running away. This time, it was a lot more serious. This time, it really was an issue between life and death.

"I can't breathe."

That was all Kari Kamiya said.

At first, the other three women looked down at the young DigiDestined, startled by her words. Then, they looked at each other, startled by the resonance of her frightening words.

"What!?" Mai was the first to react. She kneeled down and placed a comforting arm over the girl's shoulder. "Kari, what's going on? Are you alright?"

"I…can't…can't breathe." Kari repeated, this time with a lot more difficulty. She spoke no louder than a ghastly whisper.

Her breathing intervals became more evident, more rapid, and more erratic. Kari clutched her hand over her chest, attempting to cry for help, but there was no intelligible sound. She was panting frantically. Her chest heaved up and down, straining with the effort of life. Her lungs contracted and expanded in a desperate battle to claim much needed oxygen. Her throat was burning with a fiery intensity, yet it didn't feel like part of her body anymore. She was losing her throat. She was losing her vision. She was losing her hearing. She was losing her senses. She was losing her body. She was losing her mind. She was losing herself.

And then, she was motionless.

"Call the medics!" Bulma cried.

"What the hell is happening to her!?" Faye yelled out.

"She's having an asthma attack." Mai said in an urgent tone. She recognized the symptoms, thanks to a previous discussion with Tai. It was a mild case of asthma, except in this unforgiving environment, the severity of her conditions was magnified tenfold. It must have been the adrenaline from running out of the shelter, in a moment of frenzy, that pushed Kari's body over the edge, on top of her already ill health and the terrible weather. "Where's her inhaler? Get the inhaler!"

This said inhaler was buried in the pile of debris that used to be their shelter. Now, it was almost impossible to locate such an item in the dark, in the rain, in the ruins.

Faye glanced at Bulma. Bulma glanced at Mai. And Mai glanced at the nearly lifeless body in front of her.

Oh no.

Ohhhhh noooooo.

Fortunately, the Survivor medical team arrived at the scene just on time. Equipped with an armful of supplies, which included lanterns, raincoats, and also a stretcher, the team of doctors and nurses soon took command of the situation. The players backed away, hoping for the best. They watched from a distance as the experts worked, diligently and calmly, in rescuing the young girl's life. The night was dark and rainy, so they couldn't quite see what progress was being made. But soon enough, they could hear Kari breathing again. Slowly, yet quite certainly. This was a good sign. Everybody can be rest assured that the critical phase was over.

"Is she…okay?" Bulma asked in a timid voice.

"She's fine, but we're taking her to the hospital for a check-up." One of the doctors explained, while her colleagues were loading Kari onto the stretcher. "She should be back by tomorrow morning."

"Oh my god, this is an utter nightmare!" Mai buried her face into her hands, obviously devastated. It had been one crisis after another. It was awful. Just awful. She will never forget this night. The worst night of her life. The blonde then raised her head again, and cried out a final farewell, "Take care, Kari! We're praying for you!"

The young girl didn't respond back.

- - -

**DAY 33**

The morning after: clear blue skies, the sun dazzling, and typical warm Konoha weather. The rain had stopped a few hours ago. Now, it appeared as if yesterday had never happened. Which was quite a laugh, considering how half the Sarutobi camp was destroyed in last night's storm. Their shelter took the largest hit, with the roof toppled over and shattered into several broken pieces. Also, most of their belongings – inside or outside – were drenched if not possibly ruined by the rainwater. In fact, the only dry articles of clothing were worn on Roy and Shannon's bodies, as the two men arrived back at camp early morning.

"Whoa…"

First impressions, Roy had described the Sarutobi campsite as the result of a post-war fallout. Shannon was forced to agree. Their living quarters looked like _hell_.

"Oh, it's you guys. You're back." Bulma greeted them with an unenthusiastic wave. She and the other women were sitting around a feeble campfire that they had just ignited. "The kings return from their oasis. I hope you had a good night. Did you bring back any souvenirs?"

"What happened to our shelter!?" Roy exclaimed in shock. He thought the camp might take a few minor hits last night, but he never imagined the damages would be this severe. He was gone for one day, and the entire shelter went missing! (Wait until he found out what else was missing from the tribe.)

"It's a long story." Bulma yawned. When the two men stared at her expectantly, she sighed and gave them a quick rundown, "Shelter collapsed, Kari had asthma, worst night ever."

"Don't forget the sleepless hours." Mai added as an afterthought. "I think we all got, like, thirty minutes of sleep. At most."

Their arrival, however, was overshadowed by Kari's return moments later. To her credit, the unassuming DigiDestined never intended to make a dramatic entrance. She was not a flashy person. She just wanted to slip in, go unnoticed, and pretend like nothing had happened. Her plan was doomed to failure though, because the other tribe members went _apeshit crazy_ when they detected her presence a mile away. All of them practically mobbed her before she could even utter a simple 'hello'. Kari was met with an overwhelmingly warm and enthusiastic welcome from everybody. Even Shannon. Even Faye. _Especially_ Faye, for that matter. The bounty huntress was the one who hugged Kari the longest, surprisingly enough.

After the initial welcome wagon, Kari was then bombarded with dozens of questions. Was she feeling better? What did the doctors say? How was her trip to the hospital? Did she have any problems breathing now? Was she still allowed to play the game?

"Yes, thank you, the doctors say I'm fine. The hospital was great. I don't have any problems breathing anymore. And yes, I'm still allowed to play the game." Kari replied the questions as politely as possible. However, she played down her asthma episode quite readily, acting as if it wasn't really a serious life-or-death issue to her. "Everyone, I'm fine! This type of thing doesn't happen all the time, but I'm used to it by now. I'm sincerely sorry if I have worried you!"

"The most important thing is that you're still with us." Mai smiled, speaking on everybody's behalf. "Welcome back, Kari."

_**Kari:**_ _Coming into the game, I feel like I've a handicap of being the youngest player in the game. Automatically, people assume that I'm weak and fragile, which isn't true, but I'm constantly fighting against that perception. I'm worried – really worried – that I now have a big target because of my health. I don't want to be the next Casey. I don't want to be the easy scapegoat. And I don't want people to treat me differently. Different is bad. Very bad. If nothing else, I fear getting special treatment the most. I just want to be ordinary, like everybody else. I want to fade into the background once more._

The young girl shot a nervous glance at the camera.

_**Kari:**_ _While I don't see my asthma a big issue, I've a feeling that people will hold it against me. I just can't win sometimes. I'm never going to get any respect. My tribe is always going to see me as their delicate little sister, when that's not the case at all. No matter how well I play the game, that's the way they'll see me. I'm always vulnerable. Always._

Her concerns were legitimate enough, because there had been talk about getting rid of Kari as soon as the young girl came back. Nobody mentioned it explicitly of course, but Roy and Bulma hinted several times that may be, just may be, they should send Kari to the jury for her well-being. It was for her own good, after all.

"I love Kari like a daughter. I really do." Bulma placed a hand over her heart, feigning sympathy. "And if she's having a hard time surviving out here, then may be we should end her agony a little sooner…"

"I see your point." Roy nodded. And it was obvious that he did. The two of them pretty much shared the same mindset in this game. She was his voice, and he was her echo. They made a terrific team together.

And to that sentiment, Mai could only roll her eyes. Yeah right. Roy and Bulma were so painfully blatantly obvious with their political agendas, weren't they? Of course they wanted to vote out Kari. They dreamt about the idea almost everyday. Doing so would weaken the numbers on her side. Obviously, they would love to take out Kari and dominate the game thereafter. If Mai agreed to such an outrageous plan, she might as well sign her own death warrant and write them a million dollar cheque.

"I think…" Mai began, glaring at her opposition party. They didn't really care about Kari's well-being, or may be they did, but it was a front for another ulterior motive. They wanted to use the young DigiDestined as a pawn. Had it been Faye in the same shoes, neither of them would have made one peep of a sound about voting her out. "I think Kari is a strong individual, and she doesn't deserve to be taken out in this context."

"But don't you want her to feel better?" Bulma asked, almost in an accusatory manner.

"Of course I do." Mai retorted, somewhat snippily. "I fully expect her to make a full recovery whilst in the game. If Kari wants us to vote her out because of her health, then we'll hear it straight from her mouth. Otherwise, hiding behind this type of reasoning is just cowardly."

When Roy and Bulma finally backed out of their campaigning, Mai felt slightly relieved, if still a little disturbed. For a moment there, they almost convinced her to vote out the young DigiDestined. Her friend. Her ally. Her Kari. Strategically speaking, it would have been a disastrous move for sure. But would it have been the right move, from a moralistic standpoint, to vote off the fragile little girl who needed rest at the jury lodge? No, no, no! Mai shook her had decisively. She must not think like that. What mattered most was what Kari wanted. And unless Kari declared that she wanted to quit the game, who were they to play doctor and evaluate her current medical condition? Besides, Mai knew the DigiDestined loved Survivor as much as the next person. She would want to stay in the game for as long as possible.

Yet, at the same time, Mai admitted that she also had a political agenda behind her decisions. Her reasons for keeping Kari around were not wholly altruistic either. She was not a saint. Can the blonde be blamed for _not_ letting go of a critical ally and a numerical advantage in the game? If so, how was Mai any different from Roy or Bulma? Was she not using Kari as a pawn as well? If the blonde was such a good 'friend' to Kari, should she not put the game aside and make the right decision? Part of Mai knew she should send the young girl home before her condition grew any worse. After all, she did promise Tai that she will look after his little sister. Was it not her duty to protect Kari from harm's way, even if it meant voting her out of the game?

Nevertheless, Mai still believed she made the right call. It didn't matter whether or not her decision was motivated by strategy. In any case, she stood up for Kari like a true friend, and she did not succumb to the peer pressure.

But the real question was…would Kari do the same for her?

- - -

Kari Kamiya believed in the power of kindness.

Since she returned to camp, the young girl received a lot of encouraging words, many pats on the back, some emotional hugs, and a few intimate heart-to-heart conversations with her fellow tribe members. While she was visibly touched by their overwhelming support, there was a reaction from one particular player that startled her the most.

"I'm sorry."

Right before the immunity challenge, Faye had pulled the young DigiDestined aside and apologized to her. Nothing fancy. Nothing dramatic. It was just a simple and sincere apology from the bottom of her heart. And Kari could tell right away what a special moment this was, because it was not in Faye's character to apologize to anyone _ever_. Yet, here she was, uttering those few words that nobody ever expected her to say.

"I did a lot thinking lately. I feel awful about the way I treated you after losing the reward challenge." Faye continued, shuffling her feet nervously. "I want to take back some of the terrible things I've said about you in the past."

"I…I don't know what to say!" Kari looked up, mouth agape.

"Will you accept my apology?"

_**Faye:**_ _I was devastated when Kari went to the hospital. At that moment, the only thing on my mind was how much smack I talked about her in the past few days. And then, I thought…wow, those could have been my last words to Kari. How could I live with myself if something bad actually happened to her? Looking back, I feel like I'm taking this game too personally. I'm so…intense. I just need to chill out. Losing Survivor isn't the end of the world. Even if I lose the next challenge, or if I lose the next vote, then so be it. What's the big effin' deal? It's just a game! So be it!_

Ever since Kari's incident, guilt was eating away at the bounty huntress more than she could handle. It took a lot of courage and humility to apologize, but Faye knew it had to be done. She was seeking redemption. She was looking for a chance to repent. She was hoping to cleanse some of the sins engraved in her soul.

_**Faye:**_ _You know, this kind of proves that I'm human. I do have a conscience…sometimes._

Slowly recovering from her initial shock, Kari's subsequent reaction was a predictable yet defining one. How could she respond in any other way, where there was not a single vindictive bone in her body? Forgiveness was a virtue she valued very highly in her principles. She always believed the world would be a better place if everybody demonstrated love, and not hate.

"Why, of course. I've forgiven you a long time ago." Kari smiled, a little uncertainly, but it was a smile nonetheless. "I never held a grudge against you in the first place."

"Thank you." Faye returned the smile, a little forced, but it was also a smile regardless.

And then, they hugged each other.

In a fleeting moment that nobody else caught, the two women achieved what many others failed to do in their lifetimes. Reconciliation. Penance. And a healing of their souls.

That was the power of kindness.

- - -

The eleventh immunity challenge began with the usual ceremony. Bulma, the previous immunity holder, returned her headband with a nervous smile. It was never a good feeling to part with the coveted item, especially at this stage of the game. The numbers were dwindling, and there wasn't much room left to hide anymore. Immunity could either make or break a player's game. In some cases, it could possibly be a player's best ally until the final two.

"The challenge today will test your memory. Each of you is standing in front of a table, containing the twelve Chinese zodiac symbols. In each round, I will call out a specific sequence of symbols. You must place their symbols in the correct order as stated." Iruka explained, "If you answer incorrectly, you're eliminated from the challenge. The last person remaining wins immunity, guaranteed three more days in this game."

Kari inhaled sharply. Another memory challenge. Oh well. At least it wasn't a physical one.

She glanced around the challenge area, studying her fellow competitors. Roy looked the most confident out of everybody, and reasonably so, considering his performance at the reward challenge. Kari witnessed first-hand exactly how accurate his memory was. Also, he was energized after a full night of rest, which was a luxury that his intellectual rival Bulma did not share. It seemed as if Roy had already won this challenge before it even began. Kari thought nobody else, including herself, stood a fair chance.

"We shall begin. Just a warning, the sequences will get more difficult as the challenge progresses." Iruka smiled, before looking down at his cue cards. "Listen carefully. First round, the symbols are: ox – snake – dragon – tiger – ox." Iruka paused for a moment before continuing, "Now, organize the symbols to correspond with what I just said. Remember, it has to be in the exact same order or the answer is wrong."

The players began arranging the squared tiles on their tables. Most people finished rather quickly, except Mai, who stalled, hesitated, and finally switched two of her tiles at the last second. She crossed her fingers, hoping she made the right call.

"Time is up. Let's see if anyone got the sequence wrong." Iruka walked up to each table and surveyed the results. He nodded his head and smiled. "Yep. Nobody eliminated first round. We're moving on. Reset your tables." He looked down at his cue cards again. "Second round, the symbols are: rooster – sheep – rabbit – rabbit – boar."

Once again, the players arranged the tiles accordingly. And once again, everybody answered the sequence correctly. Still, nobody was eliminated.

"You guys are pretty good at this." Iruka grinned. He was only grinning because he didn't expect this trend to last any longer. Soon enough, at least one person will get eliminated. He was sure of it. "Now, for the third round, it's going to be a little different." The host paused dramatically. "I want you to repeat the exact same sequence as the _first_ round."

"Ohhhh…shit." Mai laughed immediately. That was her first reaction. She stared at her table with an exasperated look. Her mind was a complete blank. "I didn't know we have to remember the sequences from earlier rounds!"

She wasn't the only person who thought this way. A few other players looked equally stumped as they played around with the tiles. Most of them had a short-term memory that didn't sustain the previous round. They couldn't even remember what they had for breakfast this morning!

"Hey, it's only a minute ago. It can't be that hard." Iruka teased.

In the end, this sneaky little trick question managed to fool three players. They either answered an incorrect symbol, or they ordered the sequence wrong somehow. As a result, Faye, Mai and Kari were all eliminated from the challenge.

"Roy, Bulma, Shannon…we're moving on." Iruka smiled at the remaining players. "Fourth round, the symbols are: rabbit – dog – rabbit – snake –dragon –rat – rooster."

Bulma took a deep breath as she started to arrange her tiles. The number of symbols they had to memorize increased, hence also the proportionate difficulty of the challenge. And it wasn't like Iruka read out the sequence in a slow and clear voice – he spoke rapidly on purpose, as to confuse the players even more. It was easy – way too easy – to stumble and make a mistake.

She took another deep breath. _Okay, okay. I can do this. _It's okay. The inventor reassured herself. After all, her reputation of being the smartest player in the game didn't stem from nothing. She _can_ do this. _Rabbit…dog...rabbit…snake…_

Bulma paused. What was the next animal? Her mind drew a total blank. So, she guessed. It was either a dragon or a tiger. She at least remembered the rhythm, with the number of syllables alternating between each word.

…_dragon…rat…_

She hesitated again. Was it a rat? Or was it an ox? She was having second thoughts about her choices. Once the doubts sank in, it was too late to distinguish what was right or wrong. Bulma knew she should just trust her first instincts. She sighed. A wave of drowsiness struck her at an inopportune moment. She was so tired, so sleepy, and so out of focus. When will this challenge end? That led to another question – when will this challenge end for _her_?

…_and rooster…_

Bulma inserted the final tile in her sequence. The last word was rooster. She was certain about that much. She glanced at her final product: rabbit-dog-rabbit-snake-dragon-rat-rooster. Did she make a mistake somewhere? She hoped not. As far as Bulma was concerned, she was finished with this round. And not a second too soon, because Iruka just announced that their time limit had passed.

Iruka walked up to Roy's table first. Nodding in correspondence to every correct tile, he bobbed his head up and down for a total of seven times, which indicated the entire sequence was correct. Bulma clenched her fists, uncertain whether she was doing so out of frustration or nervousness. Roy Mustang proved to be undefeatable in anything related to memorization. At this rate, he was going to win the challenge. No surprises there. Damn him.

Bulma was next. She closed her eyes, hoping the moment would pass away without much fanfare. She wished the host would hurry up and state she had the correct answer. Move on already. If she waited any longer, she felt she might pass out on the spot.

"Ah…"

The inventor looked up, startled. She didn't like the sound of that tone.

"You're correct."

Iruka smiled cheerfully, oblivious that he almost gave her a heart attack. Nonetheless, Bulma took a huge sigh of relief. She was in the clear. Safe for at least another round.

Finally, it was Shannon's turn. As always, the swordsman carried no visible emotion. His face was like a blank slate. Iruka walked towards his table and examined the results. The host nodded his head once, twice, thrice. He stopped counting all of a sudden. There was an uneasy silence among the players. Some of them knew what the silence implied.

"You mixed up the order. The fourth symbol is the snake, _not_ the dragon." Iruka smiled sadly at the swordsman. "Sorry, Shannon. You're out of the challenge."

At that exact moment, Roy and Bulma exchanged fleeting glances with each other. He nodded his head once, and she smiled in return. The coded message was understood. They did share the same mind after all. However, sitting by the sidelines, Mai also caught the signal. And seconds later, she realized that her worst fear had come true. The others might not realize it yet, but the immunity challenge was essentially over. Roy, who always thought one step ahead, was going to throw away an easy victory. Why? Because he and Bulma both knew it was the only way to ensure she won't switch sides in a tiebreaker. If the inventor won immunity tonight, she was safe from the purple rock. And that meant she will stay loyal to Roy until the bitter end.

_Bastard!_ Mai cursed to herself. But it was no use. The outcome was inevitable. Roy, ever so tactical, had outsmarted her in this challenge, and quite possibly the entire game. He was not a short-sighted strategist. Winning immunity was not as important as securing a third vote for tribal council. He may have lost the challenge, but he was aiming for a far more valuable goal. It was the war, and not this one battle, that needed to be won.

During the subsequent round, everything happened according to plan. Roy answered "incorrectly", and thus, the challenge came to an anticlimactic end.

"Bulma wins immunity…for the second time in a row!" Iruka announced.

All along, Mai thought she had this tribal council in the bag. Three votes were all she needed. She had assumed that the selfish inventor would never draw rocks for another player. And she was right, ironically enough. Indeed, Bulma definitely will _not_ participate in a tiebreaker tonight. _If_ there was a tiebreaker in the first place.

Mai shot a desperate look at Kari and Shannon. All of a sudden, the tables were turned against her. If she wanted to survive tribal council tonight, she better hope her two allies were as loyal as they claim to be.

- - -

While leaning against a tree, Faye held a machete in her hand with the conviction of somebody who was ready for the kill. She appeared angry, but that was a usual expression for her. Most of the time, even she admitted she was an intimidating person. And now, carrying a machete in her hand, she looked scarier than ever. Once the prized possession of Roronloa Zolo, the essential camp tool somehow found its way in the custody of the bounty huntress. Both owners knew the machete was a token of power. In Faye's case, she and the machete made a very deadly combination.

Why was Faye so angry all of a sudden? Because she saw the most unpleasant sight some distance away. There was Mai and Roy, chatting together as if they were old chummy friends. She whispered something into his ear, and he laughed that infectious laugh which used to fill Faye's heart with utter joy, except on this occasion, it was being heard by another woman. Part of _him_ was being shared by another woman. The couple was also sitting very closely together. Their knees would bump together sometimes, and she would look up with a sly knowing smile on her face. Anyone with common sense would understand they were flirting with each other. And Faye didn't like witnessing this situation one bit.

"I don't _own_ Roy Mustang. He's a grown adult. He can talk to whoever he wants." Faye told a nearby camera, failing to speak in a nonchalant manner. "It's just kind of annoying that he's talking to Mai, hours before our next tribal council. That bitch thinks she can seduce every single man alive. Well, let me be the first to tell her that she's entering into dangerous territory here."

She raised her machete sinisterly, and then began sharpening it, almost in an overly dramatic manner.

"I'm ready to see her go tonight. This is war." Faye said in a determined voice.

A while later, their conversation ended and they went on their own separate ways. Roy immediately headed towards Faye, reporting to her like a dutiful ally. He explained the entire situation without leaving a single detail, and he made it very clear that it was Mai who initiated the conversation. Nevertheless, the bounty huntress still held a machete in her hand, looking rather unimpressed.

"Personally, I feel like she was stalling for time. She distracted me from talking to Kari before the vote. She probably suspects that we're targeting her tonight, with legitimate reason, of course." Roy explained, "She asked me who I was voting for, and I simply replied, 'the same person that you're voting for'. And then, we both laughed because we knew what was going on."

"What happened after that?" Faye asked, raising an eyebrow. "Mai looks like the relentless type. She won't give up that easily."

"We…uh…well, she suggested that we should continue to target the Jiraiya tribe, because that was our original plan. So, of course, she brought up your name and asked me to vote you out." Roy scoffed quietly. "And I told her I was down with the plan, but we'll have to vote out Kari first, because she isn't feeling well and all that nonsense."

"Really? And how did she respond?"

"She said no right away. She wouldn't even consider the idea." Roy shrugged his shoulders, while Faye made a strange face. "Which is kind of strange, if you ask me, considering it's the same person who voted for Meryl and Harley without a second thought."

"Mai wants to go to the end with Kari, that's why. She thinks she can beat that harmless little girl in the final two. Let's face it, Kari can't hold herself together in front of a jury that doesn't respect her one iota. She'd have another asthma attack," muttered Faye.

"And that's it. Our conversation ended there. It couldn't go anywhere since neither of us would budge." Roy finished his story, "I wished her the best of luck, and she said she'll see me in the battlefield tonight, whatever that meant."

"So, they're still voting for you?" Faye asked.

"Yeah, I'd hope so." Roy nodded his head. As strange as it may sound, he actually wanted to be a target tonight. Because while Kari would be more than willing to vote out Faye, she might change her mind if Roy was on the chopping block. He and Bulma were still working on the young DigiDestined. Hopefully, they can convince her to choose Roy over Mai. "I don't think it'll make a difference. Either we convince Kari, or we'll face a tie. Are you ready to draw rocks tonight?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Faye smirked.

Roy nodded a few times, but then a thoughtful look emerged on his face.

"You know, I was thinking…"

"Uh oh."

"It might be a better idea if we go after Shannon first. He's more threatening in challenges." Roy noted, seriously. "Also, Mai and Kari may be more inclined to switch their votes if Shannon is the target. They're not that close to him."

"You just want to be the last guy standing." Faye grinned, but she was shaking her head at the same time. She shot down the idea right away. "No, I don't like Shannon either, but we have to get rid of Mai tonight." The bounty huntress paused, reflecting what happened earlier between Mai and Roy. It was probably for the best if the two were separated as quickly as possible. "I had enough of Mai Valentine for a lifetime. Bitch got to go."

_**Faye:**_ _Well, I accomplished the impossible. I'm somehow not the target tonight. Wow. Just wow. When Harley left the game, I thought my sorry ass was so screwed. Now, it actually seems like I've decent shot at this. I'm not in danger anymore. I think I made myself so unpopular that nobody really perceives me as a threat. I didn't even do any campaigning in the last three days. Everyone just kind of forgot about me. And that's good. I like how this is going. Let's keep it that way!_

The Singaporean beauty laughed. She looked more relaxed now than she had been for the past couple of weeks.

_**Faye:**__ I could slip under the radar for the remainder of my time here! I just need to continue riding Roy's coattails until the end, and I have this game made!_

- - -

After winning the immunity challenge, Bulma made it known to anyone who would listen that she was on top of the world. Not only was she guaranteed three more days in this game, but best of all, she now had no qualms about forcing a tie tonight. However, her problems did not end here. What if, knock on wood, Roy or Faye drew the purple rock? Bulma would end up in the minority position once again. No, that simply won't do. In order to avoid this unnecessary tiebreaker, she must convince Kari to change her vote. While Bulma felt somewhat bad about pestering the young girl after her return from the hospital, the game must continue as it always did. Kari should know by now that being the swing vote was not an enjoyable position.

In a last minute conversation, Bulma pulled Kari aside to confirm where her loyalties lied. Her response was predictable.

"I don't know, Bulma. I haven't made up my mind yet…"

"I have immunity. I'm not worried about anything." Bulma said in her best maternal voice. "I'm just looking out for _you_, Kari. If you don't vote with us, there'll be a tie for sure. Do you want to face a tiebreaker? Do you want to put yourself in danger like that? Do you want to be voted off because of a purple rock? No, I didn't think so." She sighed exasperatedly, "I mean, you can avoid the whole mess by voting out Mai. It's that simple. Girl, if I was in your shoes, I'd switch in a heartbeat!"

"But I don't want to vote out Mai _or_ Roy!" Kari protested.

"Isn't Roy your friend?" Bulma folded her arms together. She was feeling increasingly aggravated, but she didn't let her annoyance show through her voice. She must remember to act understanding and compassionate, or else she'll scare Kari away. "Didn't he stand up for you in the past? If it wasn't for him, Holland and Harley would still be here."

"Yeah, but…but Mai is my friend too. I can't betray her." Kari sighed, looking exasperated. "Why can't we all vote for Faye tonight?"

"I mean, if you feel that way, then vote for her!" Bulma exclaimed. A crafty idea struck her head all of a sudden. "I think it's a brilliant plan. That way, you're not backstabbing Roy or Mai! And whatever happens afterwards will happen!"

Kari paused for a moment, as if she was actually contemplating about the idea. Bulma looked optimistic, and crossed her fingers behind her back.

"If I vote for Faye, will you vote with me?" Kari asked. She wasn't entirely clueless. She had a vague idea about how the numbers worked in this game. "We can cause a three-way tie together. I think I'll feel much better about tonight if it happens that way…"

"It sounds kind of risky." Bulma hesitated.

"I'm taking a risk too!"

Delaying her response for as long as possible, Bulma weighed over the options between flat out lying to Kari or sugar-coating the straight truth. Either way, there were unpleasant consequences. One thing was for certain: Bulma will have to be a damn fool before she followed through Kari's silly little plan. The inventor was rigidly loyal to Roy and nobody else can convince her otherwise. But Kari didn't need to know that. The young DigiDestined can believe whatever she wanted to believe. If she thought this three-way tie was a good idea, then Bulma can play along with it. Yeah, why not? As long as it prevented a tie, the opportunistic inventor didn't mind lying to her face.

"Fine, you win. I'll vote for Faye." Bulma gave a quick nod. She looked extremely guilty even though it was all an act. "But you can't tell anybody this, okay? Especially not Mai. It has to be kept on the down low, or I won't go with the plan."

"You promise?" Kari asked uncertainly.

"I promise."

And in her head, Bulma finished the rest of her thought:

_I promise you that I will break my word tonight!_

- - -

A frustrated Iruka went through the tribal council questions fairly quickly tonight. By now, everything that needed to be asked or answered had all been spoken in the past. Besides, the players were so used to this process that they developed their own strategies to counter the questioning. Shannon talked too little. Bulma talked too much. Mai avoided the original question. Kari gave generic bland answers. Roy put on a diplomatic façade. And even Faye remained tight-lipped about her thoughts.

"Faye, do you feel vulnerable tonight?"

Nothing.

"Kari, do you think your health will affect your standing in the tribe?"

Again, nothing.

"Mai, have you started thinking about the end game yet?"

Nobody was willing to tell Iruka anything, and it was very frustrating to him as the host.

"I hear you guys talking, but nobody is saying anything of importance! Tribal council is supposed to be a place where you openly express your thoughts!" Iruka exclaimed. Nobody fell for the trap. They all remained quiet and looked away. "Fine, fine. We're clearly going nowhere with this. Let's just get to the vote. Bulma has immunity tonight, so no one can vote for her. Everybody else is fair game."

Mai was the first to cross the rope bridge, thankful that the painful questioning session was already over. She had more important things on her mind. This tribal council was either going to make or break her game. The blonde had only now realized what a formidable opponent Roy Mustang could be. If he didn't go home tonight, she was probably doomed.

"I'm voting for Roy tonight." Mai held up the parchment in front of the camera. There were three enormous letters written on the blank space. "You're a swell guy, but I find you just too much of a threat. You have the brains and the brawn to go very far in this game. Hopefully, your reign will end tonight."

Roy responded by casting a reciprocal vote against Mai.

"Mai Valentine, the notorious man-eater of Konoha." Roy grinned cheekily at the camera. "You're a very cool girl, and also a pretty decent player, but you meet your match tonight. We'll see how much control you have over little Kari. Is she as loyal to you as we all think?"

Faye was next. And she, too, voted for the blonde. Unlike the others, she kept her message short and definitely _not_ sweet. Her tone had a bitter sound as always. In any case, she didn't have a lot to say to Mai Valentine. Faye didn't want to waste her breath on such a woman.

"There isn't enough room for the two of us. Now go away."

The fourth person to vote was Shannon Casull, who unsurprisingly scribbled down his archrival's name. His goodbye message was even shorter.

"I despise everything that you represent."

Then, it was Kari's turn. The young DigiDestined reluctantly dragged herself to the voting shrine, where she stalled and hesitated until she finally wrote down a name. For a moment, she had an impulsive desire to cross out the letters on her parchment and replace it with another set, but she didn't want to make the same mistake again. She whispered a very timid farewell, and returned to her seat afterwards.

Finally, Bulma cast the last vote of the night. While wearing the immunity headband around her waist like a stylish accessory, the inventor felt both invincible and vulnerable at the same time. She was confident she wouldn't get voted out regardless, but she was less certain about the outcome tonight. Will there be a tie? Should she get her hopes up? Bulma didn't know. She wondered what Kari Kamiya decided to do.

"I can't say this has been a very difficult decision for me. Actually, I'm beyond giddy that you could be going home tonight." Bulma smiled as she held up her vote. Mai's name was written in tiny, delicate handwriting. "I know I did promise Kari that I'll vote for Faye…"

Remorselessly, Bulma folded her vote in half and dropped it in the urn. She flashed a cheeky smile at the camera.

"But I lied."

- - -

Most of the players knew where the votes will fall tonight. There were at least three votes for Mai Valentine, if not more. The outcome all depended on Kari, who ironically was the most powerful person at the moment. Both Mai and Roy shot anxious looks at the young girl. They hoped she made the right choice. Whatever the right choice may be.

"Once the votes are read, the person voted off will be asked to leave tribal council area immediately." Iruka's voice announced loudly and clearly. "I'll now read the votes."

The first vote…

"Mai."

The second vote…

"Mai."

Seeing her name two times in a row was a bit unnerving for the blonde, but she was used to it. This wasn't the first time that Mai had been in a tight situation at tribal council. She remembered facing a tie against Holland a few nights before. And way back, she even received more votes than Kurz Weber at one point. Yet, Mai still survived. She had dodged a lot of bullets in the past. The question was could she escape her fate again?

Iruka pulled out another vote. A new name appeared in tribal council for the first time.

"Roy."

It was an unusual feeling for Roy to see his beautiful name reflected on paper, even if he anticipated it. While Mai was an experienced target, he was relatively new to the different perspective. He was used to voting people out, not the other way around. Under his cool and confident demeanour, Roy admitted that a part of him felt somewhat vulnerable, almost as if he was attending tribal council for the first time. Somehow, he had a bad feeling about tonight.

His anxiety grew worse when Iruka pulled out another vote from the parchment. And there it was. His name repeated. Once again, he anticipated this vote, yet it didn't feel any easier knowing that he was a few votes from getting voted off for good. Roy made a mental note to himself that if he survived tonight, he will refuse to serve as the decoy target in future tribal councils. He shouldn't have thrown that immunity challenge. Let Faye or Bulma take the bullet instead.

"Roy." Iruka called out, "That's two votes for Mai, and two votes for Roy. Two votes left."

Iruka dug his hand into the urn and pulled out the fifth parchment. He unfolded the vote and turned it over.

There were three letters.

"Mai."

Kari inhaled sharply as soon as she saw the results. She knew it! She knew it all along! Bulma had lied to her about voting for Faye tonight. As if she will risk everything in her alliance and vote on a whim. Kari should have known better. She should have learned her lesson many times before. How foolish of her to believe in the possibility of a three-way tie.

The young girl stared at Bulma, who nodded her head and smiled apologetically, as if there was nothing neither of them could do about the situation.

Kari lowered her head in shame. She knew it. She knew it all along.

And now, it was over. The façade had worn off. The true colours came out. The ugly truth surfaced at last. Bulma was not some sweet mother figure who cared for her made-believe daughter's best interests.

She was just a big fat _liar_.

"The last vote…" Iruka drew out the final parchment in the urn. It was Kari's vote. He took a long dramatic pause before turning it over. "Roy." He paused and smiled enigmatically at the players. "We have a tie."

Surprised with the results, Bulma immediately shot an offended glare at the petite DigiDestined, who kept her head down but was smiling defiantly to herself. Indeed, she did not repeat her mistake again. Contrary to what Bulma might have thought, Kari never had the intention of ever writing down Faye Valentine's name tonight. She was not some naïve little girl who believed a three-way tie could actually happen, not in this cutthroat environment anyway. It was bullshit. All bullshit. Bullshit designed to throw Bulma off the scent, and it worked, apparently enough. The older woman was shock beyond belief. She had almost convinced herself that Kari did cast her vote for Faye. But she couldn't be more wrong.

A horrible realization slowly dawned upon the inventor. It was a grave error in her judgement that she hadn't realized this until now.

Kari can lie too.

- - -

Before the revote, Mai stated her case, as did Roy. Both charismatic speakers made convincing arguments as to why they should stay in the game, but they didn't change any opinions. When the other players cast their votes tonight, they already anticipated there will be a tie, and they were ready for it. Well, everybody except for Bulma, who would have jumped ship under any other circumstances, but she was anchored by her immunity headband. Roy made the right call. Neither Bulma nor Faye had any good reason to switch their votes otherwise. Voting out their best ally meant they were aiming for fourth and fifth place respectively. At least sticking with Roy gave them a chance in the future. It was a worthwhile risk. Faye, in particular, was willing to take the gamble.

As for Mai's allies, neither Kari nor Shannon even considered jumping wagons in the first place. Perhaps it was a major character flaw on their behalves, but both of them had too much conviction and honour to go back on their words. The swordsman was admired for his loyalty after all. Only a coward, in his frank opinion, would switch allegiances. And Kari behaved similarly, except that she thought a tiebreaker was the fairest way to determine who goes tonight. She didn't want to choose between sending either Mai or Roy home, so she decided to leave everything up to chance. Besides, Kari and Shannon were aware they would be at a severe disadvantage if the terrible Roy-Faye-Bulma trio remained intact. The three of them would dominate the entire tribe thereafter.

So, there was a deadlock tie. The revote did not change the results. All the players dared to tackle the tiebreaker.

"Since a majority decision is not achieved, we'll resolve this tie by drawing random rocks. Because Bulma has immunity, she will not participate in this process." Iruka said, while Bulma sat back with her shoulders relaxed. "Here is what's going to happen. I will insert five rocks into the voting urn. Four are black, and one is purple. Each of you will pick a rock from the container, and you'll conceal it in your palms. When I give you the signal, all of you will reveal your palms at the same time." A dramatic pause. "Whoever draws the said purple rock will be eliminated from the game."

Five rocks were dropped into the voting urn. Iruka shook the container thoroughly before he approached the players. One by one, they each drew a rock from the container. As instructed, the rocks were concealed in their hands until a signal was given.

"Okay, everybody has chosen a rock. For one of you, today is your unlucky day." Iruka smiled sardonically. The other players, bar Bulma, did not find this situation very amusing. "Just a reminder, whoever has the purple rock is the eleventh person voted out of Survivor: Konoha. You must leave tribal council area immediately." Iruka paused again. He was dragging this moment on for as long as possible. "Players, are you ready?"

Unenthusiastic nods from everyone. Some of them just wanted to get this over with already!

"Reveal."

Slowly opening her palm, Mai thanked her lucky stars when a tiny black rock in her hand. A wave of joy and relief washed over her body at the same time. She was safe. She dodged another bullet yet again. They should start calling her the bulletproof woman from now on. Whoever the _Survivor_ gods were in this game, they were smiling radiantly for Mai Valentine tonight. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world. She was grinning as if she already won a million dollars.

Immediately, she glanced over at the other players to see their reactions. That was when Mai's grin grew even wider.

Because Kari had a black rock.

And so did Shannon.

Her two allies survived the tiebreaker, which only meant…

"Damn it!" Roy exclaimed angrily. This tiebreaker didn't seem fair, but only because it hadn't worked out on his favour. He muttered the curse word under his breath over and over again. "Damn it, damn it, damn it…"

Meanwhile, Bulma gasped in horror.

Roy might be lamenting over his misfortune, but he wasn't the unluckiest person tonight. Contrary to his reaction, he actually picked a _black_ rock, which indicated he was safe. Yet, his response almost felt justified when he looked over at the person next to him.

Because Faye had it.

One of his best allies.

Despite not receiving a single vote tonight.

Faye Valentine drew the dreaded purple rock.

The bounty huntress sighed. She should have felt surprised, but she almost expected this to happen. She couldn't be angry either, because she had a chance to alter this outcome. If only she had the heart to vote out Roy Mustang, she would still be in the game. Instead, she took a huge gamble and lost. It was just her luck to choose the wrong rock. Her only emotion right now was sheer disappointment. Faye was disappointed that her game had to end here, in this untimely fashion, just when she saw a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. But looking back, her time was due long ago. She should have been gone instead of Orihime. Or Asuka. Or Guy. Or even Harley. Oh, her sweet dear friend Harley! His prophecy had come true. He had been indeed waiting for a friend in the jury, and he couldn't be more devastated about it. Why did it have to happen this way?

Faye briskly exchanged her farewells. She even paid her respects to Mai and Shannon, although she wished more than anything she could wipe that conceited smirk off the swordsman's face. He was loving this moment, of course. He had been waiting for it since they first met. And he thought it was exactly fitting that Faye left almost in the same way Orihime had. If that wasn't karma, he didn't know what was.

The bounty huntress just rolled her eyes, looking annoyed. At least she didn't give that bastard the pleasure of voting her out.

"Just to make it official, Faye, you're the eleventh person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_, and also the fourth member of our jury. The tribe hasn't spoken, but fate has other plans for you." Iruka snuffed out her torch with a sad smile. "It's time for you to go."

"See you later, losers!" Faye grinned, not missing the irony in her statement.

She ran into the darkness of the shadows, almost embracing it. Slowly, her figure disappeared from sight, and that was the end of Faye Valentine.

By the end of tribal council, Roy looked like a shell of his former self. His complexion was pale. His body was slouched. He looked like every last bit of his energy was drained away. Even after Iruka dismissed the tribe, Bulma had to literally drag the colonel out of his seat. Roy was so devastated by the results, even though he should have known it was a possibility. He just never expected it would happen like this. He genuinely considered Faye a true friend. Despite their ups and downs in this game, he thought she deserved better than leaving because of a purple rock. Or more accurately, because of him. She took the fall for him.

"It's all my fault." Roy muttered. His voice was cracking. "She didn't deserve to go."

"I know." Bulma cooed.

"I can't do this by myself…"

"There, there. Pull yourself together." Bulma whispered in his ear, soothingly. She patted him a few times on the shoulder. He was like a child in so many ways. "The important thing is we're still in the game. Don't worry, we'll find a way to fight back. We always do."

She had one hand on Roy's shoulder, while the other rested on his back.

Because Bulma was already pinpointing the location where she will stab her knife.

- - -

_**Faye's Final Words**_

Well, that sucked. I didn't even receive a vote tonight! Now I know how Orihime felt, dammit. And it's all because of a stupid guy. If I didn't fall head over heels for Roy Mustang, the good old me would have kicked his ass to the curb by now. I think I grew too soft in this game…heh, heh. Yeah right. I guess I'm just a very extreme person. I don't hold back. Anyway, it has been a fun ride. I was a marked woman since the fourth tribal council, so I'm proud that I made it this far. Plus, I have been myself one hundred percent. How many others can say that?

- - -

_ **Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**_

**Kari loses her trust in Mai…**  
_Mai: If we don't vote out Shannon now, he's going to win the game._  
(Kari shakes her head, looking distressed.)  
_Kari: That's what you said about Roy!_

**Bulma and Roy turn on each other…**  
_Bulma: I wonder who voted them out._  
_Roy: Aren't you the queen of the underhanded insult?_  
(Bulma bites on a bagel innocently. Roy looks annoyed.)

**And Roy makes an outrageous proposal…**  
_Roy: I promise I'll throw the last immunity challenge._  
_Mai: You'll lose the challenge on purpose?_  
(Mai raises an eyebrow. She seems curious.)  
_Roy: I swear on my life.  
_

_**All this and more on – Episode 12: An Alliance That Never Was  
**_

- - -

**Author's Notes: **Sorry for the long wait between chapters. The final stretch is always the most difficult to write. With that said, there are only two more chapters to go. Place your bets. Who will be the Sole Survivor? (As always, please review and take the survey afterwards! New readers are always welcomed!)


	12. Episode 12: An Alliance That Never Was

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Roy and Shannon reconciled after winning the reward challenge together, while Mai struggled to orchestrate an all-female alliance to the final four. During a ferocious rainstorm that wrecked the entire camp, including the tribe's shelter, Kari suffered from a sudden asthma attack. She recovered the next day, but worried that people will not take her seriously as a competitor. After Bulma won her second consecutive immunity challenge, she joined forces with Roy and Faye to force a tie at tribal council. Faye drew the dreaded purple rock in the tiebreaker and was sent home, despite not receiving a single vote that night._

_Five castaways remain. Who will be voted out next?_

**Episode Twelve: An Alliance That Never Was**

Sarutobi Tribe : **Bulma** _(Dragonball Z)_, **Kari** _(Digimon)_, **Mai** _(Yu-gi-oh)_, **Roy** _(Fullmetal Alchemist)_, **Shannon** _(Scrapped Princess)_

- - -

**DAY 34**

Last night, Bulma had a terrible dream about home. She wouldn't call it a nightmare exactly, but she woke up with a lingering melancholy that cannot be shaken. She remembered vividly who was in the dream. Her husband. Her children. Her friends. They were all cheering for her at the finish line. Bulma sensed their presence, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not see them. They seemed like distant figures in the darkness. They were a vague representation of home. How sad it was that after thirty four days she could not remember her own loved ones' faces.

"Are you okay?"

Bulma looked up, startled. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Shannon Casull had joined her by the campfire. Nor did she notice there were tears swelling up in her eyes. How embarrassing, Bulma thought. Rarely did she get caught off guard in a vulnerable state. She was supposed to be a strong woman, dammit.

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired. I didn't get enough sleep last night." Bulma feigned a yawn. She stared at a pile of debris nearby. "Too bad we don't have a shelter anymore. Damn storm."

Nodding his head, Shannon handed her a bowl of fruits. Freshly sliced mangos with a few bits of grapefruits on the side. This wasn't a fancy meal, but he prepared it for her nonetheless. He could have just given Bulma a mango and told her to slice it herself. But Shannon didn't work that way. For a dull and unimaginative man, he was full of pleasant surprises.

"And if you're thinking about home, remember it's only five days away," muttered Shannon.

"How do you cope with it, Shannon?" Bulma smiled. The swordsman was also more understanding about women than he seemed. "I mean, you have two sisters. You must miss them a lot."

"I think about them every day," said Shannon.

Pacifica and Raquel Casull. The two most important women in Shannon's life. Since the reward challenge a while ago, there had been a running joke around camp that he and his sisters were nothing alike, but everybody understood the three of them were very close. How could they not be, after such a traumatic childhood they went through for sixteen years? Shannon was a true family man, perhaps even more so than somebody like Holland. Naturally, being away from his sisters for a long period of time must have taken its tow on the swordsman. But he never let his weaknesses show. In fact, he claimed that thinking about his family only made him stronger.

"They motivate me to do well in this game." Shannon added as an afterthought.

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Bulma laughed, but only because she never associated the word 'sweet' with a stern man like Shannon. "Now I understand why all the girls have a crush on you."

"They like Roy better." Shannon smiled thinly.

"_We_ like both of you. That's why you're the last two men standing." Bulma placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You know, Harley was right about you. You're a special guy."

"Harley was friendly." Shannon kept his head down. He still felt a little guilty that the Pokemon Coordinator wasn't in this game anymore.

"Come to think of it, Harley was right about a lot of people. He read people well. Right off the bet, he knew you were a genuine guy. And he also got Kari pegged to a tee." Bulma paused, uncertain if she should voice the rest of her opinions to Shannon. "He was right about her all along. She's a devious little bitch."

_Devious_. Shannon looked amused. It wasn't the first word he would use to describe Kari, but he can actually understand where Bulma was coming from. The young DigiDestined had done some very shady things in this game, some of which the other players still know nothing about. Behind that sweet and fragile girl image she hides behind, Kari Kamiya was not as honest as she appeared.

Bulma knew the real Kari as early as the fifth tribal council. She will never forget the spineless girl who voted off her friend Asuka and left Bulma in a precarious position. This was also the same girl who, despite all her claims about tribal loyalty, voted against Holland in the bat of an eye. And just last night, this girl flat out lied to Bulma, blabbering something about a three-way tie that she will never make happen. Kari told so many lies in this game, and after each time, it was always Bulma who suffered the consequences. Now that they were the two last Jiraiya members remaining, the inventor was determined _not_ to lose to that troublesome girl who caused her so much grief.

_**Bulma:**_ _I don't have a problem with the way Kari is playing Survivor, but I'm really irritated that she pretends to be a nice and honest person while stabbing all of us in the back. I call her the smiling assassin because the girl has an even more underhanded strategy than me. No wonder she's closely aligned with Mai. Those two belong with each other._

After last night's tribal council, Bulma decided she was finally fed up with the young DigiDestined. She tried so much to give Kari a chance, even multiple chances. But in the end, she was wronged one too many times. If Kari was so unwilling to cooperate with her, then Bulma had no choice but to retaliate.

_**Bulma:**_ _As we all know, I've been an outsider for the past three tribal councils. But now I realize I played this the wrong way. I spent so much time trying to persuade Kari to change her vote, when I really should have been working my magic on Shannon instead. I like him. Unlike Kari, he's truly a genuine person. He is honest with everybody. And if he realizes that he's aligned with the two biggest liars in the game, he might just be able to correct the errors of his ways. _

"Hey Shannon," Bulma suddenly smiled at her new best friend, while chewing on a piece of mango. "Want to hear a secret about Kari?"

The swordsman looked up, somewhat confused. The poor guy didn't know what was coming. After all, Shannon did not realize this yet, but it was in the coven of gossip and deception where Bulma felt completely at home.

- - -

Last night, Mai also had a terrible dream. She dreamt that Shannon was going to win a million dollars. A strange dream, yes, but the likable swordsman was indeed three tribal councils away from winning the entire game. Nobody even had a chance of stopping him. In fact, Mai was the guilty culprit who will help him get to the last challenge, where he will inevitably win and take Kari to the finals with him. Then began the great comeback story of Shannon Casull. He went from immediate target at the merge to the persevering underdog in the end. He will win both the sympathy vote and the popular vote. The only suspense on the final night was figuring out his winning margin. Will he get five jury votes? Six? Or a complete clean sweep?

Mai Valentine shuddered at the scenario. It was only scary because it was likely to come true. Neither she nor Kari could beat Shannon in an endurance challenge. Nobody could. So, it seemed a little silly in Mai's opinion to bring someone to the final three when she had no chance of winning against him. It wasn't just silly; it was downright despicable. Mai wouldn't have to live in agony for thirty nine days just to watch Shannon take home the victory. Nothing against the guy, but she thought she deserved to win far more than him.

_**Mai:**_ _Aligning with Shannon was a necessary move under the circumstances I was in, but I'm starting to really regret it now. He's actually an enormous threat who we should have taken out in the first opportunity we get. Except, of course, we were too busy going after each other, so Shannon was forgotten in the sidelines. And now, he's just three votes away from winning the entire game. That will become a factual statement if we don't stop him at one of these tribal councils._

Yes, the blonde was grateful to have survived the tiebreaker yesterday, thanks to Shannon's unwavering loyalty. But on the next morning, she was already plotting his demise. That was how Mai Valentine functioned in this game. Vicious. Cutthroat. Possibly amoral.

_**Mai:**_ _The biggest problem with Shannon is he didn't his hands dirty. While the rest of us are dealing and wheeling, he sat his ass down and did nothing. I find it really annoying that the guy who didn't strategize at all is the same one who's most likely to win the game. It seems he had such an easy journey, while I've been fighting for my survival every tribal council. I worked way too hard and lost far too many friends just to lose to somebody like him!_

What Mai needed was to formulate her ideal final three. Kari was a given – the blonde wanted to take her to the finals for a very long time. But who else? She couldn't bring Shannon to the final three because he will win. And she couldn't take Roy because he will vote her out before then. Which left Mai Valentine with only one viable option.

As much as Bulma couldn't stand the sight of her, these two women needed to have a serious talk.

- - -

The five castaways arrived at their final reward challenge. Before Iruka could explain the instructions, however, Bulma thought she had an important announcement to make.

"I'd like to remind everyone that I'm the only person who hasn't been on a reward before." Bulma said with a huge grin. "I wouldn't normally do something like this, but I am desperate. I really want to get away from camp for a day. So, whoever wins this challenge, _please_ take that into consideration!"

"If you want to go on the reward so badly, you should try winning it yourself." Roy teased.

"Or may be we should all throw the challenge and let Bulma win this one." Kari giggled, playing along.

"Would you really?" Bulma's eyes widened with glee. She turned to Iruka with her hands clasped together. "Oh my god, please let that happen! Please! Please! Please!"

"Let me think about it." Iruka rubbed his chin for a few seconds. "No." He rolled his eyes, while the castaways snickered. "Anyway, today's challenge will contain a combination of elements from various challenges in the past."

The host walked over to the first station – there was a dining table with five plates set up on it.

"There are four rounds in total. During the first round, all of you will have to eat the three earthworms off your plates. Anybody who doesn't succeed, or the person who finishes the slowest, is eliminated from the challenge."

Iruka moved forward to the next station.

"In your second round, you'll have to solve these simple sliding puzzles. The first three players to complete them will move on to the next round."

_This one is a freebie. At least for me._ Bulma thought to herself with a confident smile. She still remembered how she and Asuka breezed through these puzzles in the first immunity challenge. Poor forgotten Keitaro didn't share the same fortune.

"In your third round, you'll have to shoot these wicker balls into your basket. The first two players to score a point will move onto the final round."

By now, Bulma was glowing. She actually _won_ this immunity challenge a while ago! All the stations looked pretty easy so far. This challenge was going to be a piece of cake.

"And finally, we come back to our first reward challenge. The final two players will fight against each other on this platform. The objective is to knock your competitor out of the ring with your sandbag. The person who stays in the ring will win the reward."

When Iruka returned to the castaways, he pulled out a small wallet from his pocket.

"This is what you're playing for: hard cold cash." Iruka opened his wallet, which contained a lot of money despite its tiny size. "Here's five hundred dollars in Konoha currency. The winner of this reward challenge, accompanied by a guest of their choice, will spend the day _shopping_ in the Konoha village. You can do whatever you want with the money. You can eat at a fancy restaurant. Or you can rent a room in the hotel for a nice night of sleep. Or perhaps you'd like to purchase some souvenirs. You can buy anything you want. It's up to you."

"I love shopping!" Bulma gasped. No doubts about it, this reward had to be specially tailored for her. She had to win this reward challenge. She simply must win.

"Okay, let's get started. Everyone, move to your first station." Iruka watched the five castaways approach the dining table with some hesitation. A few players looked queasy, despite eating things far worse than earthworms in the past. "Survivors ready? Go!"

Shannon picked up all three earthworms in one go and shoved them in his mouth. After chewing the pieces for a few seconds, he swallowed them completely. Iruka inspected his mouth. Yep, the swordsman was already done.

"Very efficient." Mai complimented him. She also opened her mouth for examination. She was done as well.

Roy took a slightly slower approach, eating the earthworms one at a time, but he finished them without any difficulty. He was proceeding to the next round as well. These players made the gross food eating challenge look _so_ easy.

The last spot was up for grabs between Kari and Bulma. Although the inventor was determined to win the challenge, her gag reflex kicked in at the most inopportune time. She almost threw up when she put the second earthworm in her mouth. Just the sensation of that little bugger squirming on her tongue made her want to spit it out again. By the time she was starting her third one, Kari was finished. She took the fourth coveted spot.

"Bulma, please take a seat on the bench. We're moving on to the second round – the sliding puzzles." Iruka declared. The disappointed inventor sighed as a response. First out. What a joke. She wasn't even _close_ to winning.

To nobody's surprise, Roy finished the puzzle first. He moved those little square pieces up, down, left, and right, until he eventually noticed that the puzzle resembled the _Survivor_ logo. Shannon figured it out as well, and quickly claimed the second spot. Finally, Mai edged out over Kari in a close contest, securing her position in the third round.

"We're moving on to the wicker ball portion." Iruka announced, "The first two players to score their balls in the basket will become our finalists. And no, you don't have to take turns, so give it your best shot."

Roy launched the first throw...

And he missed.

Around the same time, Shannon also threw his ball at the basket...

And he missed.

Mai, surprisingly, fared better than the men. Despite her incorrect posture and poor hand-eye coordination, she shot the wicker ball into the basket during her first try. It wasn't like she had any particular skills or tactics. She got through based on sheer luck. Ever since she survived that tiebreaker, Mai thought she was on a lucky streak.

While the men battled it out for the final position, Mai took a sideward glance at the other players on the bench. Kari and Bulma seemed engrossed in the challenge as spectators. _Bulma_. Mai fixed her sight on the elderly inventor. Although her announcement at the beginning of the challenge was partially said in jest, Mai had every intention to take Bulma to the reward, and indirectly, the final three. As soon as the two women were alone, Mai planned to make Bulma a proposal that she couldn't refuse.

"Shannon scores! He's moving on!" Iruka announced several seconds later. "Our finalists are Mai and Shannon!" The two of them exchanged polite glances with each other as they walked to the last platform. "Pick up your sandbags. A huge reward is at stake." Mai took a deep breath. "Survivors ready? Go!"

Shannon immediately charged at Mai with his sandbag. She was startled by his sudden move and stumbled a few steps back. The swordsman then continued to push against her with brute force. Seconds within the challenge, he already forced her to adopt a defensive strategy. This didn't look good. Although Mai held her ground reasonably well, she still found herself sliding back. She was moving closer and closer to the boundary line. Damn it! Shannon Casull was just too strong for her. It was impossible to beat him in a physical challenge. It was impossible to beat him in a challenge, period.

Unable to defeat him physically, Mai hoped that playing dirty would at least help. She got down on her knees and began slamming her sandbag at his left leg. Shannon, however, remained unaffected. He continued to push her back until the inevitably finally happened. She was out of the ring.

"Shannon wins reward!" Iruka declared. It was a quick and efficient victory, just like everything the swordsman does. "Who would you like to bring along on your shopping spree?"

"Bulma," said Shannon. After all, she was the only person who didn't participate in a reward yet. It would be cruel to choose anybody else.

The inventor squealed with joy and gave him an affectionate hug.

"Good game." Shannon added, as he helped Mai get up from the ground. She scraped her knees in the scuffle, but she was a tough girl; she'll get over it. The blonde was more concerned that _Shannon_ and _Bulma_ will be going on a reward together – her least desirable combination ever. Not only would Bulma be away from camp for the whole day, just when Mai needed to discuss with her about the final three, but the inventor also had another opportunity to poison Shannon's mind with her scandalous lies.

Mai sighed softly, fearing for the worst. Except the worst had not yet to come. She realized at this reward challenge there was no way she could beat Shannon Casull in an endurance challenge. He was too strong of a competitor, both physically and mentally. And not only was he a hard worker, but people just liked him, dammit. Thus, all these reasons accumulated to one final conclusive decision for Mai.

Three days from now, she will vote out Shannon Casull, the same man who risked himself for her sake at the last tribal council. Mai wouldn't like to backstab him, but she had no other choice. If she wanted to win, she must vote him off. She'd rather not think about it anymore. Sealing another person's destiny, especially someone who was supposed to be her saviour, was simply the worst feeling ever.

- - -

For the next few hours, Bulma felt like she was transferred back into civilization. She was surrounded by swarms of chattering people in every direction. There were stores and business vendors, bright lights and loud noises, laughter and cries. This was home. She was home.

Shannon split half of his money with her. This wasn't a mandatory decision, and Bulma had refused at first, but he wanted to share the reward equally, being the gentleman that he was. After eating an extravagant lunch together, where they stuffed their faces with more food than their stomachs can handle, the two of them went their separate ways. Shannon liked to do his shopping alone, while Bulma simply wanted to browse around the markets and absorb the atmosphere.

First order of business: Bulma headed straight to a clothing store, where she immediately purchased a new change of clothes. Her biggest pet peeve about _Survivor_ was that she had to wear the same dirty garments for thirty four days. It felt good to wear something clean for a change. Then, Bulma walked next door to the spa and salon, where she enjoyed two full hours of cleansing her body from head to toe. Afterwards, she spent her remaining money shopping for miscellaneous items, including souvenirs for her family and friends back home. It was there Bulma rediscovered an old hobby that she had long forgotten.

"Twenty dollars?" Bulma made a face at the vendor behind the cashier. She had her eye on a cute piece of jewellery for her daughter, but the price tag was far too expensive. "I could get a better deal across the street for ten bucks."

"Lady, I have to make a living too..." He pleaded.

"Twelve dollars, or no deal," said Bulma conclusively.

The vendor sighed in defeat, resigning to his fate. Nobody can outdo Bulma in her expertise: bargaining for cheap prices. She was totally in her environment.

Evening came sooner than expected. Time passed fast when she was having fun. A completely rejuvenated Bulma waited outside a fancy restaurant, where she and Shannon promised to meet up at six o'clock. She had saved up some money so they can enjoy a full course meal in a restaurant and a nice night of sleep at a nearby inn. Bulma smiled in delight. What a perfect way to end such a relaxing day.

Shannon arrived a few minutes later. To her surprise, he was carrying tons of shopping bags, so much that it seemed like he might keel over from all the weight.

"Gee, I didn't know you were such a shopaholic." Bulma grinned as she helped him with some of the bags. She never imagined Shannon would be a heavy spender, given his nature. Plus, he only had a little over two hundred dollars to spend. "Let me see! What did you buy?"

She peered inside one of the bags. All she saw was food. Lots of food. Canned goods, to be precise. For a moment, she was worried if he purchased a can opener, but of course he did – he was Shannon Casull, the domestic king.

_**Shannon:**_ _Out of my three reward trips, I actually enjoyed this one the most. I feel like it was the most...efficient reward, because I got the chance to stock up on our supplies around camp. We were running low on food, so I bought a lot of canned goods that will sustain beyond the next week. I also purchased a lot of essential items that will make our lives more comfortable for the remainder of our time here. We now have sleeping bags, so we don't have to worry about rebuilding the shelter. And we also have a lighter, so making fire will be much easier. And toilet paper! I'm so glad about finally having toilet paper!_

The swordsman looked rather satisfied with himself.

_**Shannon:**_ _It was money well spent, in my opinion. Part of me wished this was a reward since the beginning of the game. Then again, it would have diminished our Survivor experience. Only after we suffered so much did we realize how important these everyday items are in our lives. _

"You are so practical with your money!" Bulma exclaimed, visibly impressed. Then, she looked a little guilty that she spent most of the cash on herself. "Oh man, I should have thought about buying stuff for the others..."

"I got it covered." Shannon smiled. To demonstrate, he began pulling out random items from the shopping bags. "See, I got us a mosquito net. And here's some disposable underwear. Now Roy won't have to complain about sharing." Bulma laughed, but quickly stopped herself. Wait – what? She didn't know about that intimate little tidbit! But before she could ask any questions, Shannon was already moving on to the next item. He was speaking in a very rapid manner. He almost sounded too giddy. "...and here's a brand new inhaler for Kari..."

All of a sudden, Shannon stopped talking.

"Do you have any money left?" Shannon asked his companion.

"Some. I thought we'll treat ourselves to a nice meal and spend the night at an inn." Bulma nodded her head.

"Uh...I actually walked past a store and there's something I want to get for Pacifica. You know, for her birthday." Shannon paused. He was speaking slowly again. The fluency and excitement in his voice earlier was fading away. "But I spent all my money on these things and I...I uh..."

He couldn't manage to finish the rest of his sentence. He seemed a little too tongue-tied to ask Bulma to do him a favour. But she already understood what he was implying.

"Say no more. Who needs gourmet dinner and a five-class hotel? Meh!" Bulma waved her hand in mock dismissal. The inventor might be selfish at times, but she wasn't completely heartless. She knew that she had to do the right thing. "Take my money, Shannon. It was yours to begin with."

"Thank you." Shannon sighed in relief.

Bulma felt a huge grin spread across her face. She had no idea why she was so happy – she should feel the exact opposite after losing dinner and a nice cozy bed. But she must have been affected by the warmth that Shannon radiated throughout the day. He reminded her of somebody familiar. Her son. Her husband. Her brother. That was it, Shannon felt like a family member to her. Bulma now regretted not knowing this man better from the get-go. He was such an interesting character.

"Harley will be pleased. You finally have an interesting hobby." Bulma said in a cheeky voice.

"What?" Shannon looked confused. He didn't get it, as usual.

"Hey, do you like discount stores too? Oh man, I love those places!" Bulma pumped her fist in the air. Shannon laughed, flushed with embarrassment. "We should totally arrange a shopping trip after this game. It'll be _so_ awesome!"

"You're a funny lady, Bulma." Shannon chuckled, shaking his head.

"And _you_ are a _dreamboat_. God, if only I was thirty years younger..." Bulma sighed to herself.

And if Shannon had asked, Bulma would admit that she – a woman happy with her marriage – was totally falling in love with him.

- - -

Roy Mustang didn't speak much today. He was still upset about Faye's elimination last night. He was also feeling a little desperate. For somebody who played such a strong strategic game early on, he now found himself at a dead end with no available moves. Had he been playing this game against anybody else, anybody else other than a ballsy player like Mai Valentine, he would have dominated from start to finish. She was a dangerous woman and a formidable opponent. It was especially frustrating that she had such a strong relationship with Kari. Roy was always under the assumption that the young DigiDestined was _his_ ally. She liked him. He liked her. They were friends. They cracked jokes together. So, why did Kari vote against him last night!?

Mai, of course.

He didn't realize until it was too late that they had the most threatening friendship in the game. Not Faye and Harley. Not Meryl and Shannon. But Mai and Kari. They were dangerous because Kari was one hundred percent loyal to her friend. As for Mai, who knew what her true intentions were most of the time, but she probably felt the same way. These two planned to go to the end with each other. They shared an unbreakable bond. They were like sisters, in a way.

What can Roy do about this indestructible pair? Well, he can always go to Shannon and Bulma, form a counter alliance, and the three of them can vote as a group. However, Shannon was stubbornly loyal to the wrong people, while Bulma was a selfish turncoat who cannot be trusted. It will be difficult, although not impossible, to make this alliance happen.

Or Roy can simply go to Mai and Kari, beg for a third position in their group, and work the other people out of the equation.

Considering which two members were absent from camp at the moment, it was more than obvious what option Roy should choose.

"Do you need any help?" Roy asked his tribe members, who were currently boiling the water. Mai and Kari had been chatting until he interrupted them. What was there to talk about, Roy wondered, after thirty four tedious days of living with each other? Kari's conversations usually revolved around her family, the weather, and that stupid damn cat of hers, while most of Mai's stories involved topics she wouldn't dream of telling Kari at her age.

"No, we're fine." Kari smiled sheepishly at the colonel. She was glad he didn't get voted off – he was one of her favourite people around camp. Earlier in the day, he had already accepted her apology about what happened last night.

"Should we cook dinner now? It's getting late. I don't think those two are coming back any time soon," said Mai.

"Yeah, I'm starving." Roy rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Let's eat dinner and call it a night. Tomorrow is another day!"

_**Roy:**_ _I think we reached the point where we're just waiting for the remaining days to pass by. None of us feel like doing anything around camp. Uh, we don't have a shelter anymore. We're all too lazy and tired to build another one. So, we've been sleeping on the ground for the past two nights. Not the most comfortable way to get rest, but we're used to it by now. We're used to a lot of things by now._

Roy's lack of sleep was evident from the heavy bags under his right eye.

_**Roy:**_ _I don't want to sound like I'm defeated, but I kind of am. Mai is gunning for me at the next tribal council. I have two days to change her mind. And for the first time ever, I'm at a loss about what to do. I don't have a plan. No strategy. No allies. No plan. Hell, I'm just going to wing it from now on. If an opportunity springs up, I will grab it like there's no tomorrow._

During dinner, Roy made an articulate speech to the girls regarding why he should stay in the game. He was charming enough to conceal his desperation, but even his charm and charisma can only get him so far in life. He can tell that while Mai and Kari felt empathetic for his cause, they weren't moved enough to rescue him from his fate. The pitch wasn't working at all.

And that was when Roy Mustang said something completely outrageous.

"I want to go to the final three with the two of you." Roy said, gesturing his hand at the two women. "And if I'm not voted off until then, I promise I'll throw the last immunity challenge."

He didn't realize the magnitude of his words until they escaped from his mouth. Spontaneous, unscripted words that Roy never thought he would ever say. He appeared a bit bewildered by the lapse of silence that followed afterwards, while Mai contemplated over his offer.

"You'll lose the challenge on purpose?" Mai asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I..." Roy paused and took a deep breath. "If the three of us are in the final challenge together, I will step down as soon as the challenge starts."

"Hmm. Interesting." Mai muttered to herself. The final immunity challenge weighed heavily on her mind. She knew it was impossible to beat Shannon in endurance, but she also stood a slim chance against Roy or Bulma. Thus, it would have been highly unlikely that Mai and Kari were in the final two unless something drastic happened – something as drastic as Roy throwing the final challenge.

"Will you consider it?" Roy asked.

"It sounds like you'll vote me off at the final four so you won't have to honour this deal," said Mai.

"Damn. You caught the loophole." Roy joked, grinning. "No, I'm being serious. I will throw the final challenge if you don't vote me off until then. That is a promise."

"You don't have a good reputation in the past about keeping your promises..."

"I would never tell a blatant lie like this. I swear on my life."

Mai smiled in frustration. This certainly threw a wrench in her plans. She intended to go to the final three with Bulma, but how can she refuse such a juicy deal from Roy? She was already having second thoughts about her earlier plans. May be it will be better if she included Roy in her ideal final three.

"What do you think, Kari?" Mai asked, turning her attention to the quiet girl all of a sudden.

"I don't have an opinion." Kari bit her lips.

Ah, but Kari did have an opinion. A very _strong_ opinion. She just didn't want to say it in front of Roy.

"Well, this is the most I can offer at the moment." Roy concluded. He put down his empty bowl on the ground. "Thanks for listening to me and I look forward to hearing a positive response from you."

"We'll sleep on it." Mai nodded her head.

After excusing himself from dinner, Roy took a long walk in the forest by himself. He didn't have high hopes that his plan will work, but at least he gave it a shot. The colonel continued to wander aimlessly for a while until he settled down near the waterfall. He sat down on the grass and enjoyed the scenery around him. The moon looked particularly bright in the reflection of the water. And if Roy watched carefully, he could see the glimmering lights of several fireflies some distance away. _What a serene sight._ Roy thought to himself with a smile. _I should go camping more often._

Roy was so relaxed in his surroundings that he eventually fell asleep on the grass, which was quite unfortunate, because he missed out on all the action happening at camp right now.

- - -

"No!!"

That was Kari's initial response when Mai revealed her end game plans. Which was _nothing_ like the ideal final three that Kari envisioned in her head.

"No, Mai, you promised! You promised me that you wouldn't vote off Shannon!" Kari cried. Mai knew this wasn't the right time to interject that she never made such a bold promise (and even if she did, it meant nothing, like most of her promises). "I don't get it! Why do we have to vote for him!?"

"If we don't vote out Shannon now, he's going to win the game..."

"That's what you said about Roy!" Kari shook her head, sounding very distressed.

Roy didn't realize how much of an effect his words had on these two women. As soon as he left their proximity, Mai and Kari immediately discussed the pros and cons about accepting his offer. That was around the time Mai told Kari about her exclusion of Shannon Casull in the final three, and possibly even the final four.

"Kari, calm down." Mai was a bit surprised to see that Kari reacted so strongly to her idea. "It was merely a suggestion. I'm just figuring out which option maximizes the likelihood of us two in the finals."

"Shannon might _lose_ the final challenge," said Kari.

"Yeah right. Keep dreaming." Mai quipped sarcastically. She sighed and placed an arm over the young girl's shoulder "Listen, Kari. Have I ever let you down before? My instinct is usually right, and it's telling me that we need to vote out Shannon while we still can. Roy and Bulma are threats, but Shannon is the biggest threat of them all."

"I like Shannon." Kari was obviously running out of rebuttal points.

"I..." Mai paused when she realized that she couldn't say the same thing. No, she actually wasn't a huge fan of the swordsman, even if she did appreciate his loyalty. She found him too stubborn and inflexible at times. She definitely wouldn't consider him a close friend. "No, Kari, that's a foolish reason. We have to vote off people we like. We do it all the time. That's part of the game!"

"But we're voting off Shannon _before_ Bulma?" Kari shook her head. She couldn't fathom the idea. Not that she disliked Bulma in any way or form, but it seemed ridiculous to vote off somebody who remained loyal to their alliance from the start.

"We might need Bulma in the final three, just in case Roy weasels out of his deal," said Mai.

Kari continued to shake her head. She didn't even know what to say anymore, but she knew she hated the idea of betraying Shannon so soon. All along, she thought the three of them – along with Roy – will make the final four together. That would have been the perfect scenario. Her friends and allies in the final four. What more could a girl ask for? But Mai saw the game differently from Kari. The blonde viewed Shannon as an obstacle to the million dollars, and Bulma as a useful pawn she can use in the near future.

"Come on, Kari..." Mai sighed. She wanted to grab the young girl by her shoulders and shake the senselessness out of her. How could she act so _ungrateful_ after all the times they watched out for each other? "Why are you so reluctant to vote off Shannon?"

"Because I'm not like you." Kari muttered.

It took Mai several seconds for the comment to sink in. _Because I'm not like you_. What did she mean by that? Because Mai was the epitome of everything that Kari despised? Because Mai was a despicable character that Kari would never aspire to be? The more she thought about this one little remark, the more malicious it seemed. _Because I'm a bad person. That's what she meant._ Mai thought to herself. Out of all the insults she heard in the past, this one stung the most. And it came from sweet and harmless Kari, of all people. May be it was the most hurtful _because_ it came from Kari in particular – her ally, her friend, her figurative little sister.

"Sometimes, I wonder how you saw me as a person." Mai said in a quiet voice. She placed both hands on her hips, trying to maintain an air of dignity. "I'm glad I finally know."

Kari bit her lips, but remained perfectly silent.

"I'm going to take a breather." Mai said, getting up from her seat. She needed to get away before she said something she will regret later on. The last thing she wanted was to lose her cool in front of Kari.

"I'm sorry..." Kari mumbled at last.

Mai flashed the young DigiDestined a smile – an empty, meaningless smile that signified the apology was too little, too late.

Kari sat in an uncomfortable silence for a while. She dropped her head into her knees. Stupid girl. She messed it up again. Mai Valentine was the one person who stood up for Kari at her lowest, the one who lent her a shoulder to cry on, and the one who constantly looked out for her. Why did she have to say something so stupid? No wonder Harley hated her. No wonder Holland disrespected her. Kari didn't deserve anybody's respect. She didn't deserve to be in an alliance, let alone be a friend to anyone. She deserved to be friendless. Stupid, stupid girl.

When Shannon and Bulma returned to camp that night, they were surprised to find the campsite so empty. Only Kari was huddled around the campfire, staring into nothingness. There was no sign of the other tribe members. At first, Bulma wanted to surprise her tribe with all the presents they bought, but soon realized there was something wrong with the atmosphere. This wasn't the time for celebration.

"Let me handle this." Shannon whispered to his companion. He quietly placed his shopping bags on the ground and walked over to the campfire. "Is there something wrong, Kari?"

"You're back." Kari smiled weakly as she wiped her eyes. "No, nothing's wrong. Nothing is wrong at all."

"Did Roy make you cry?" Shannon asked.

"No! No...Roy didn't do anything. It's not his fault." Kari shook her head.

Shannon sighed. He didn't understand what happened exactly, but he hated to see anybody cry. The swordsman felt so helpless watching her in such a fragile, vulnerable state, and there was little he could do. Shannon sat down next to the young DigiDestined by the campfire and pondered. _What would Orihime and Meryl do in a situation like this?_

Finally, he grabbed Kari's hand and held it for a long time. She was surprised at first, but didn't fight back. The swordsman possessed such a gentle, compassionate touch. It felt like she was holding her own brother's hand.

_Shannon Casull, the saint of the Sarutobi tribe_. Bulma smiled as she watched the pair hold hands by the campfire. _What a man!_ Never had her opinion of somebody change so much in the past twenty four hours, even though he remained the same person throughout the entire game. Despite how he came across at times, Shannon was just a genuinely nice guy. The inventor once thought he was somebody who needed to be voted off as soon as possible. Now, she couldn't picture the game of _Survivor_ without him.

- - -

**DAY 35**

Normally, Bulma needed at least eight hours of sleep everyday, which was often an impossible number in _Survivor_. On lucky nights, she managed to sleep for may be four or five hours at most. Last night, Bulma did not sleep at all. Not even for one measly minute. Every time she thought she might drift off to sleep, something would disturb her – an insect, an itch, a loud cough from another player. She lied inside her sleeping bag all night, gazing at the starry sky until it transformed into dawn. If Bulma had known what a horrible night she would have, perhaps she wouldn't have turned down that nice cozy bed at the inn.

"Good morning, Bulma!"

Bulma opened one eye lazily and saw Kari's smiling face across the campfire. If the DigiDestined was still upset about last night, she did her best to disguise her emotions from the other players. As such, she looked bright and chipper even this early in the morning, almost _annoyingly_ so.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Kari asked.

_Not until you opened your big stupid gob._ Bulma thought to herself with a smirk. She then shook her head and let out a small chuckle. Okay, that was kind of bitchy. Kari didn't mean any malice with that question. Plus, she must have a pretty rough night too. Bulma decided that she felt sorry for the young girl, so she will try her best to act like a civil, reasonable adult.

"Never better." Bulma lied. Because, like Kari, the inventor will not go around camp sharing her weaknesses with everyone. "Say, did you get the treemail already?"

"Nope, I was just about to leave. Do you want to come with me?"

Bulma paused and calculated the consequences in her head. Retrieving the treemail was a fifteen minute walk, and that meant fifteen excruciating minutes alone with Kari while listening to her babble about the most mundane topics. Now, if she had anything new to say – like perhaps stabbing her alliance in the back – then Bulma might be interested. But since Kari was so stubbornly loyal to her friends, Bulma predicted any conversation between them will probably _bore_ her to sleep.

Okay, that was really bitchy. Bulma could not help herself. She didn't get enough sleep, she wasn't a morning person, and she was just a naturally petty person. It was why she got along so well with people like Harley and Faye. But now they were gone. And Bulma was stuck with someone as vanilla as Kari. Where did it all go wrong?

"I'm sorry...I'm kind of tired today." Bulma yawned, right on cue.

"Ah, that's okay! I'll go alone." Kari nodded her head nonchalantly. "Breakfast is ready, by the way. See you later!"

_Bless her heart._ Bulma thought, sighing a little to herself. _She was just trying to be nice. She probably wanted somebody to talk to. Why did you have to be such a bitch?_

Since she was "awake", Bulma joined her other tribe members around the campfire. They were currently enjoying several delicious bagels for breakfast, thanks to Shannon's grocery shopping yesterday. The food situation was no longer a problem for the remainder of their time here.

"It feels so good to consume some real food in my mouth. I'm salivating!" Mai laughed. She, like Kari, seemed to have forgotten about the incident yesterday, although the two women had not spoken yet. They mostly avoided each other, hence why Kari went on a treemail trip instead of enjoying breakfast with the rest of the tribe.

"We can actually have three meals a day now!" Bulma added with a grin.

"The food is great, but I wished you bought some pillows and blankets instead. The sleeping bags don't seem that comfortable," said Roy.

"You're getting pampered." Mai teased, sticking out her tongue.

"I actually think this is a trip down the memory lane." Roy chuckled a little. "We spent the first ten days in Tsunade sleeping on the ground until we finally built a shelter, remember? This experience has come full circle. We're back to exactly where we started. But now with sleeping bags!"

"Ah, the good old Tsunade days." Mai grinned. "Remember Kurz? I wonder how that little bastard is coping at the losers' lounge."

"He's probably macking on Mina and Orihime as we speak." Roy grinned back.

At the mention of Orihime's name, both Roy and Mai glanced thoughtfully at Shannon Casull, wondering if they touched a sensitive nerve. But the swordsman didn't look up at either of them.

"Man, that guy was such a dick. I can't believe I fell for him. What was I thinking!?" Mai laughed, shaking her head. "It's funny how your perception of someone changes after a few weeks."

"A lot of things change over time. Looking back, it's astonishing that Tsunade wasn't annihilated before the merge." Roy smiled wistfully. "We got poisoned on the first day, we lost almost every challenge, and we had to compete against Guy!"

"We were totally the underdog tribe." Mai nodded.

"Yet, here we are. Three of us are in the Final Five," said Roy.

Bulma rolled her eyes. She didn't realize until the last sentence how much Roy steered this conversation. He wanted to remind Mai and Shannon about their tribal roots, and use that connection as a leverage to make it past the next vote. For somebody who seemed so upset about Faye's elimination two nights ago, Roy made a quick recovery as well as a crafty back-up plan. He was already pinning the target on Bulma, who was in the clear minority.

Oh, Roy Mustang was _good_. He was definitely a capable player at this game, no doubts about that.

But Bulma thought she was even better.

"It's too bad Zolo and Meryl couldn't make it this far." Bulma noted quietly. She nibbled on her piece of bagel without making any eye contact. "I wonder who voted them out."

Shannon glanced at the inventor, reacting for the first time during this conversation.

"Well, well. Aren't you the queen of the underhanded insult?" Roy smirked. He responded without missing a beat.

_Suck it up, Mustang._ Bulma just shrugged her shoulders, smiling back at her former ally. Something in her eyes indicated that they were no longer in an alliance together. At desperate times, it was every man and woman for themselves. Game on.

- - -

Bulma was about to have one of the most pivotal conversations in the game, and she didn't even know it yet.

"So, who wants to go to the water hole with me?" Mai asked her tribe members after breakfast.

Shannon looked down. Bulma turned her head away. Roy pretended to do his shoelaces even though they were already tied. It was clear none of them wanted to volunteer.

"Aw, don't be like that! I can't be that unpopular!" Mai exclaimed, while placing a hand on her hip. "Come with me, Bulma. Let's have a little girl talk together."

"I'll come instead." Roy suddenly spoke up. He didn't trust the two women alone together. Bulma, in particular, already proved she had only her self-interests in mind. Now, imagine what kind of colossal damage she might do in a seemingly harmless conversation with Mai!

"No, sit your ass down and do the dishes. I'll go with Mai." Bulma grinned. She didn't trust Roy alone with Mai either. That man could charm the pants off anyone. _Of course, Mai would be more than happy to take them off._ Bulma giggled. _Okay, that's enough. Stop it, Bulma._

Mai smiled in satisfaction. She wanted a private moment with Bulma so they can discuss about the final three. While Roy's offer last night tempted her, the blonde was somebody who liked to keep her options open. Besides, her original plan was to form an alliance between the women and vote off all the guys. She still preferred Bulma as an ally over Roy.

The two women chatted casually until they were in the solitude of the forest. Mai soon dropped the charade and went for the kill: all women in the final three, Shannon out next, and don't tell Roy about this or the deal is off. Bulma listened to her pitch with a feeling of awe. For possibly the first time, she was at a loss of words. She always thought either she or Roy will be going home next, so it was a pleasant surprise to discover her assumptions were wrong.

"I kind of like the idea!" Bulma nodded her head a few times, looking excited. She had no problems voting off either Roy or Shannon, unsurprisingly. "So, I'll help you vote off the guys and you'll bring me to the final three?"

"Bingo. Now we're talkin'!"

Bulma should have been grateful enough to accept the offer as it was. She genuinely thought she was next on the chopping block until Mai revealed otherwise. Yet, the inventor was too much of a haggler to simply say yes to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She wanted to negotiate. She believed she can bargain her position in the game.

"I actually want to make this a final two deal," said Bulma.

"Now, don't get ahead of yourself." Mai's lips twitched. Going to the final two with Bulma meant stabbing Kari in the back. Even after their argument last night, the blonde didn't think she was ready to do something like that. "Let's not make any promises we might not be able to keep."

"Well, it doesn't matter whether you say yes or no. We never keep our promises anyway." Bulma joked. And Mai laughed, realizing the truth behind such a sad, ironic statement.

"Seriously, I'm not ready to promise you final two yet." Mai smiled thinly at the inventor. "But I will definitely guarantee you final three if you'll cooperate with me. I only have one condition: you can't tell the guys about our deal. Think you can manage that, Bulma?"

"I'll keep my big mouth shut." Bulma made a zipper motion across her mouth.

"Awesome." Mai nodded her head a few times. She pumped her fist enthusiastically in the air. "Go girl power!"

_**Bulma:**_ _Mai made an interesting proposal to me today. I don't know how honest she was, but it's nice to know I'm not in the most danger at the next tribal council. My safety is the most important priority. Actually going to the final three with the girls is another matter. The finals seem so far away at the moment. I like to focus on one day at a time. Plus, I don't particularly like Mai as a person, or Kari as a competitor. I'm not sure if I want to give either of them the opportunity to win a million dollars._

She shrugged her shoulders.

_**Bulma:**_ _On the other hand, I don't know if I can win against the guys. Shannon is obviously popular with everyone. And Roy, despite some shady moments, played a solid game. They're tough competitors, and I think I'll look ridiculous if I'm sitting next to them on the jury. I'd be lucky if I even get one vote. Of course, a lot of things could happen over the next few days. I'll see how the wind blows first before I make a commitment to anybody._

- - -

While the two women were plotting in the forest, Roy also shared a revealing conversation with Shannon, although their little chat did not go the way the colonel intended. It began with a long period of silence between the two men, which was usual since they didn't have a lot to say to each other. They had nothing in common. Roy was normally a pretty talkative guy, but even he wasn't motivated enough to make conversation with the quiet swordsman. To his surprise, it was Shannon who broke the ice and spoke first.

"What did you say to Kari while I was away?" Shannon asked.

"Well, we talked about a lot of things..." Roy was somewhat taken back by the enigmatic question. Where was he going with this?

"You said something awful, didn't you?"

"What?"

"Listen, Mustang. I know you'll do anything to win the game, but I thought you'd draw the line somewhere. Kari is a nice girl, so keep her away from your twisted mind games. I'm warning you."

"What on earth are you talking about!?"

"You made a young girl cry. I hope you're proud of yourself."

"No, I did _not_!" Roy made a face. He didn't have the slightest idea what the swordsman was blabbering about, even though Shannon sounded very serious. "I didn't even know she cried! When did this happen?"

"Kari looked very upset when I came back from my reward," said Shannon.

"Well, I have nothing to do with it." Roy quickly defended himself. "The last time I saw her, she was in pretty good spirits. If she had been crying, then she did a pretty good job at hiding it."

"Really?"

"Really."

Shannon averted his glance, while mumbling something under his breath.

"You know, I'm pretty upset." Roy turned to his companion with a grim face. "Next time you accuse me of doing something, make sure you know the whole situation first. I'm not your punching bag, Shannon Casull. I'm a human being too."

More mumbling from the swordsman. He wouldn't even look up at Roy.

"Aren't you going to apologize?"

The swordsman cleared his throat, appearing very uncomfortable. For a while, it seemed like he wasn't going to say anything at all.

"Sorry." Shannon muttered. His voice was barely above a whisper.

"What's that?" Roy cupped his hand over his ear. "Say it again. I couldn't catch that."

Shannon shot an irritated glare at the cheeky colonel, to which he responded with his usual boyish grin. Roy could get away with murder using that damn charming face. He was just that _slick_. It even worked on Shannon, who tried hard to suppress a smile himself. The swordsman was also blushing, but he kept his head down so nobody could see.

"Sorry." Shannon muttered again.

"Did you just cough? All I heard was an unintelligible mumble." Roy was still grinning.

Shannon raised his head and slowly began to shake it. The swordsman had his lips pressed together, but a very tiny smile was forming at the corners of his lips. He hated Roy Mustang, he truly did. Too bad it was turning into a love-to-hate feeling that softened any genuine contempt.

"Come on, Shannon. I'm still waiting..." Roy teased.

"I'll make you sorry alright." Shannon narrowed his eyes and grabbed a machete nearby. "Watch your back, Mustang. You unbearable little man."

Roy laughed out loud.

_**Roy:**_ _Shannon and I definitely have our ups and downs. We've lived with each other for thirty five days, so it's understandable that we find each other annoying at times. We clashed because our personalities are too different, but I'm glad we're getting along on friendlier terms now. I don't want to be his enemy. That was never my intention._

He pressed his lips together and made a clicking sound with his tongue.

_**Roy:**_ _That said...I wouldn't call him my friend. And the reason is I don't want to get too attached to someone I'll eventually vote off. He's my biggest competition out here. I can't let him make it to the end. As much as I respect Shannon, one of my goals is to outlast him in the game._

He looked up at the camera with a determined expression.

_**Roy:**_ _Because I, Roy Mustang, will do anything to be the last man standing._

The silence soon resumed between the two men. Shannon was not any wiser after their conversation, and he still remained clueless why Kari was so upset last night. Roy, however, might have an answer. The colonel thought he gained some important insight from their earlier exchange. He was now aware that Kari broke down last night for an unknown reason, so something must have happened during the time he was away from camp.

And then, Roy quickly connected the dots together. Looking back, he noticed that Mai and Kari did not interact at all for the entire morning. He thought it seemed a little strange at first, since they were usually stuck to each other like glue, but now their behaviour made a lot more sense. _They had a fight!_ Roy gasped with glee. The puzzle was solved by his usual genius. He was confident that he made the correct deduction. _This is the break I've been waiting for!_

Feeling excited about the sudden new possibilities, Roy went to speak with the one person who will make the most out of this information.

And that would be Bulma Briefs, his former ally and trusted confidante.

- - -

Bulma wanted nothing to do with Roy Mustang anymore. He was not her friend, not her ally, and most importantly, not her partner-in-crime. She thought she made it perfectly clear this morning that she cut all ties with him. It was a difficult decision for Bulma to make, since she enjoyed his company, but she understood he was a huge hindrance to her game. For example, Mai would have been hesitant to make a final three deal with Bulma if she was still in cahoots with the colonel. Bulma had to move on. She thought Roy, of all people, would understand this was a dog-eat-dog game. If that was the case, why was he currently pestering her so much for a 'chat'!?

"Can we talk later?" Bulma smiled politely at the handsome colonel. What she really wanted to say was: _I can't be seen talking with you!_

But Roy was persistent. And he claimed this was an urgent matter. And then, he used that wounded puppy dog face when she turned him down again. And even Bulma, with her guts of steel, could not say no to his irresistible charm. Okay, okay. Just five minutes wouldn't hurt, she supposed. They'll talk in a really discreet location so nobody will notice.

"I figured out a way for both of us to survive." Roy proudly announced.

"Really?" Bulma feigned surprise. She found it difficult to bite her tongue in front of Roy. She couldn't tell him that Mai already orchestrated Shannon's demise. Roy and Bulma will indeed _survive_ until the final four. But his journey will end there.

"I made a final three deal with Mai last night."

"Oh shit."

"What?"

"I made one with her today." Bulma laughed, smacking her forehead. She already broke her deal with Mai in just a couple of hours, but she didn't really care. The inventor was so taken back by Roy's announcement that she decided to spill the beans.

"What fools we are." Roy grinned.

"I'm glad we compared notes." Bulma grinned as well. She shook her fist in the air. "That damn conniving bitch played us both!"

"She's also trying to turn us against each other, although we're doing a pretty good job on our own." Roy admitted with a smile. He kind of missed talking with Bulma in the past two days. She was the only person who was on the same wavelength as him. "I told you Mai Valentine is dangerous."

"Yeah, yeah. What are we going to do now? What's your brilliant plan, genius?"

"Well, I found out that Mai and Kari had a fight right after I made a deal with them." Roy's smile widened. He looked a giddy little child as he was retelling his story. "And I can't see Kari getting upset about voting either of us off, which means Mai must have considered voting out Shannon instead!"

"She is voting him out. She told me today." Bulma confirmed.

"Damn. That means she trusts you more than she trusts me." Roy made a face.

"Oh shut up, it doesn't matter right now." Bulma sighed impatiently. "Go on, I'm still listening. What's your big plan?"

"We tell Shannon what is happening. We recruit him in our counter-alliance. The three of us work together and vote out Mai." Roy snapped his fingers. "We double-cross her just like that."

"Shannon is never going to believe us."

"But he'll believe Kari. We'll make her confess everything."

"Please. Kari's head is permanently attached to Mai's ass. She'll never do something like that."

"I don't know. Never say never." Roy pressed his lips together. He made an uncertain gesture with his hand. "They seemed pretty standoffish with each other this morning. I think it's a serious fight."

"This is an outrageous plan, Roy. There are a lot of unknown elements."

"But it could work, it should work, and it _will_ work. If we succeed, we'll get rid of Mai. How sweet will that be?"

A smile spread across Bulma's face. Okay, she admitted it would be pretty damn sweet to knock Mai off her pedestal. How arrogant was she to make final three plans when everybody else was still worried about the next tribal council? It would be a delicious triumph just to watch how Mai react when her torch gets snuffed tomorrow night. She will never see it coming.

"Damn, you know how much I despise that woman." Bulma laughed. After several weeks of living together, she still couldn't find a single redeeming quality about the blonde. She was trashy, promiscuous, and completely dishonest. "Now I'm really tempted."

"Then, let's vote her out!" Roy exclaimed.

_**Roy:**_ _Right now, Mai thinks she's in control of the game. She's basically deciding who leaves and in what order. And she's doing a pretty good job at it too, because she successfully kept most of us in the dark. If Bulma and I didn't talk, we would have never found out about her web of deceit. However, Mai has a very big weakness. I'm pretty certain that Kari Kamiya, in one way or another, will be her ultimate downfall._

He nodded his head a few times to reassure himself that he was right.

_**Roy:**_ _If Mai is confident to make bold moves like these, then she should also taken into account that the outsiders will rebel against their fates. She got caught and the outsiders are not pleased. Mai better watch her back, because a rebellion is about to begin._

Bulma, however, had a slightly different perspective on the situation.

"Roy, this could be a great opportunity to get rid of Shannon though. He's a pretty big threat too." Bulma pointed out. "I just want you to think about both sides of the coin."

Roy nodded his head in agreement. Both Mai and Shannon were huge threats in the game. Which ones should (could?) they get rid of first?

"Well, whatever happens, let's make sure we stick together at the final four." Roy suggested.

"Yeah, for sure." Bulma nodded her head. At least she had a guarantee from two people now. "Look, we'll discuss this later. People are going to start talking if they see the two of us together. That's the last thing we want them to do."

"I suppose." Roy frowned a little. He felt like he didn't have enough time to strategize with Bulma like they used to. She was still keeping her distance away from him. She was such a cautious player.

Their five minutes were up, and the pair went their separate ways. They didn't come up with a final decision yet, but that could wait for another time. _If_ there was another time.

Even after their informational discussion, Bulma still wanted nothing to do with Roy Mustang. He might not have acknowledged it, but he himself was an enormous threat. Charismatic, articulate, and extremely intelligent – he demonstrated all those winning qualities in the conversation they just had. From Bulma's point of view, Mai, Roy and Shannon were the three titans and she perceived all of them as equal threats. While Roy might be under the notion they were in an alliance together, Bulma will not stay by his side if the numbers do not benefit her. Sorry, it might sound cruel, but that was how she functioned.

Perhaps Bulma was the most threatening player of them all, because she had so much power over her destiny, and nobody even suspected.

- - -

**DAY 36**

Going into the immunity challenge, Kari secretly wished Shannon would win immunity today. She didn't tell him he was in a lot of danger right now, simply because he didn't know how to break the news to him. How does one tell another person – especially a loyal ally – that his alliance will betray him tonight? How would he react? It was why Kari feared the consequences of being the messenger. She didn't have the courage to face Shannon if she revealed that Mai had no use for him as an ally anymore. _Thanks for your vote! Goodbye now! See you on the jury!_

Kari could not help but blame Mai for putting her through so much grief. They wouldn't be in this predicament if the blonde was more of an honest player. Worst of all, Mai didn't show any remorse over her decision. She acted as if the outcome was inevitable, even though she was the one who conducted it. Lately, Kari began to see a different side to her friend, one that she decided she didn't like very much. The two women still avoided each other since that incident a few nights ago.

"Immunity is back up for grabs!" Iruka declared, after retrieving the headband from its previous owner.

Kari shot an optimistic glance at the tall swordsman next to her. She could only hope.

"Behind me are twenty five balloons in five different colours: red, yellow, blue, green, and orange." Iruka gestured his hand at the trees. There were many balloons tied to the branches at various heights. "As you can guess, each player is represented by a colour. The objective of the challenge is to break your _own_ balloons. The first player to have all five of their balloons popped will win immunity.

"Now, the twist is you'll each be using different weapons, randomly drawn from a bag. This will also determine the order you'll compete in. And I know some of you are squirming right now, but don't worry, there aren't any purple rocks in this bag!"

Iruka gave a hearty laugh, but the other players still appeared uncomfortable with that familiar looking bag. That eventful tiebreaker was still a fresh memory in their minds.

Bulma was the first to insert her hand into the bag. She found the process slightly unnerving, even though this had nothing to do with tribal council. It was still too close for comfort. The inventor reminded herself that she should never get into a situation where she will draw rocks for a tiebreaker.

After several seconds of nervous fidgeting, Bulma pulled out a yellow rock with the number four printed on it. She looked up at Iruka to clarify the meaning.

"Bulma, your weapon is a slingshot," said Iruka. The inventor instantly groaned at what she thought was a useless weapon. It confirmed her belief that she was simply an unlucky person. "And you'll be going fourth in the challenge."

Next was Kari.

"Kari, your weapon is a rifle. And you'll be going first."

"Wait. I won't be firing real bullets, right?" The petite DigiDestined thought this was a stupid question, but she had to ask it anyway. "I mean, I'm really clumsy and I don't want to hurt anyone..."

"A gun without bullets? Yeah right." Iruka chuckled. He flashed a smile at the squirming girl. "Don't worry, we'll teach you how to use the gun before the challenge starts."

"Wow. I feel so much better now." Kari smiled nervously. One can tell she had been hanging around with Roy because his sarcasm is rubbing off on her.

The other three players drew rocks and got assigned their respective weapons: Mai picked a blowgun (prompting an immature little giggle from Bulma), Shannon chose a bow and arrow, while Roy was left with the trademark of Konoha weaponry – shuriken.

Afterwards, Iruka gave each player a brief lesson on how to use their weapons. Some had an easy learning curve, such as Roy, who already knew how to throw shuriken over a lengthy distance. Kari, however, struggled immensely with the rifle. She was never in contact with such a violet weapon, so she had no idea what to do with it. Worst of all, she was going to compete first, which only made her feel more nervous despite encouragement from the other players.

"Woo! You look like Tomb Raider! Kick some ass, girlfriend!" Bulma exclaimed.

"We're ready to commence the challenge. We'll be rotating in the order you were assigned." Iruka declared. He patted the young DigiDestined on the back. "That means Kari is up first."

Kari took a deep breath as she picked up the rifle. She never dreamed of the day she would be holding a gun, let alone _firing_ it. Her hands were already trembling with fear. She was also sweating like crazy, which seemed a little silly considering she was just shooting at balloons. _Get a grip._ She told herself. _You can do this._

Kari aimed her gun at one of the balloons. And she fired.

_Pop!_

She made a hit!

"That was my balloon!" Bulma exclaimed, a little too cheerfully. The rules stated that players can hit each other's balloons and still have them included in their tallies. Bulma, out of sheer luck, got a point without actually participating in the challenge yet.

"My bad." Kari smiled, sticking her tongue out a little. She never intended to shoot at Bulma's balloons, but she was glad she hit _something_ at least.

Roy got up next, carrying a single shuriken in his hand. He didn't look too confident. The colonel always hated precision challenges, since his limited eyesight prevented him from aiming well. The characteristic proved to be a hindrance yet again, because he missed his target altogether. No balloons were popped.

Mai and Bulma both missed on their first shots.

Last but certainly not least, Shannon fared better than his competitors in the fact that he actually hit one of his own balloons. He was the only person to do so in the first round. This came as a surprise to nobody, because not only was Shannon an expert swordsman, but he was a pretty damn good archer as well. In fact, he shot his arrow with so much ease that the other players felt a little unnerved. They realized that Shannon was going to dominate the challenge yet again.

"By the end of the first round, only Bulma and Shannon have a point." Iruka reported. There were still a lot of balloons left on the trees. "Kari, you're up again."

Kari felt slightly more confident on her second attempt. She took a deep breath before she picked up her rifle again. This time, she made sure she aimed at the right balloon – there will be no more free lunches for the other players. Her sweaty fingers toyed cautiously around the trigger. _Please._ And she fired her second shot.

_Pop!_

"Yesssss!!" She did it. The bullet went directly through one of her red balloons. "This is so cool!" She squealed giddily. "Hee"

Roy missed again on his second shot. He returned to his seat and sank in embarrassment, while trying not to think about the fact that even _Kari_ scored a point. Even the worst challenger was beating him. How pathetic. What would his subordinates think if they saw this performance? He might lose all respect.

Adding salt onto his injury, Mai and Bulma proceeded to hit their balloons during their respective turns. The two women were getting more familiar with their weapons now. Bulma didn't mind her slingshot so much when she realized it scored her a point. Better than Roy Mustang. That was all it mattered.

Once again, Shannon shot his second green balloon with relative ease. He fired his arrow so effortlessly, as if there was no doubt in his mind that he'll hit. He was going for a one hundred percent accuracy record. He was also tied for the lead.

"Here's the standing so far: Shannon and Bulma have two points. Kari and Mai have one. Roy has none," announced Iruka. "Let's begin our third round..."

Kari scored again.

While Roy missed again. For a third consecutive time. He didn't even plan to win the challenge anymore – he realized he had no hope. He just wanted to register one point on the scoreboard before the challenge was over. Because right now, that big fat score of zero looked pretty bad on his resume. He was supposed to be a military man, dammit!

"That's why armies fight with guns instead of shuriken." Roy joked as he returned to his seat. Kari laughed politely and comforted the colonel with a pat on the back.

Mai and Bulma also missed. And Shannon, of course, made a hit. He now officially claimed the lead.

"We should end the challenge right now. Shannon is never going to miss." Bulma whispered to Mai, who was nodding her head in agreement. It was pretty much the unspoken consensus. Shannon was kicking everybody's asses at the moment. "He is going to win the challenge."

"This is a problem." Mai squirmed a little. Shannon winning immunity would be a bad scenario for her. His victory would render all of her plotting and final three deals useless. It would also confirm her belief that Shannon Casull was three – no, two tribal councils away from winning the entire game. On the bright side, Kari might actually be pleased with the results. But Mai wasn't playing this game to _please_ Kari in any way.

"Shannon has three points, Kari and Bulma have two, Mai has one, Roy still has zero." Iruka announced loudly, "We're beginning our fourth round."

Kari's streak ended this turn, when she aimed a little too high and the bullet narrowly missed her red balloon. Roy, however, got his long deserved break when he finally broke one of his own balloons.

"Congratulations, Roy Mustang." Iruka teased playfully, "Welcome to the scoreboard and the rest of the challenge."

"I _will_ catch up." Roy joked, raising his fist in a non-threatening manner.

_Pop. Pop. Pop._ The next three players – Mai, Bulma, and Shannon – all made connecting hits. Almost half of the balloons were gone from the trees, although Roy's blue balloons were more prominent in comparison to the other colours. In fact, there was only one green balloon in the entire view. Shannon was one balloon away from winning the challenge.

Mai bit her lips. She already calculated the numbers in her head. Barring a miracle, there was no way any of them could catch up and steal the inevitable victory away from Shannon. She was so close to getting rid of her biggest threat, but immunity was going to foil her well-laid plans. It just didn't seem fair, after everything she went through, for Shannon to simply waltz into a challenge and _save_ himself.

_He had such an easy journey so far. _Mai thought bitterly. She bit her lips so hard that they were starting to bleed a little. _Why strategize when he can just rely on winning immunity?_

"Shannon has four points, Bulma has three, Kari and Mai have two, Roy has one." Iruka said, almost in a conclusive manner. He, like the competitors, understood that the predictable outcome was already determined. "Let's begin our fifth round..."

Kari scored on her next shot. It didn't matter. She wasn't going to win the challenge.

Roy also scored on his next shot. It didn't matter either. He wasn't going to win the challenge.

Mai stood up, while internally cursing her helplessness. It didn't matter whether she hit or missed on her next shot. She wasn't going to win the challenge, like everybody else except for Shannon. And _may be_ Bulma. A light bulb suddenly flashed inside Mai's head. She recalculated the numbers and realized there could be an alternative ending to this challenge. And Shannon's destiny rested in the next two shots.

It was a risky plan. She was also going to reveal her true loyalties. But Mai didn't think about these trivial elements at the moment. All she cared about was to stop Shannon Casull from winning. Even if it meant repositioning her aim at one of the yellow balloons. Even if it meant intentionally hitting somebody else's balloons. Even if it meant giving Bulma an extra point she didn't really deserve.

Mai placed the blowgun over her mouth.

_Pop!_

The blonde returned to her seat without making any eye contact, although she knew Shannon and Kari must be shooting her a million daggering glares by now. Her intentions were perfectly clear. They could hate her all they'd like, but it had to be done.

Because Mai just popped one of Bulma's balloons, thus giving the inventor an extra point in the challenge.

And if Bulma successfully hit her last balloon in the next turn, she will win immunity for a third consecutive time.

Bulma picked up her slingshot with an uneasy smile. She understood what Mai was trying to do, but she didn't know if she had the confidence to carry out her plan. She did find the situation a little funny because Roy threw the last immunity challenge to her too. It was happening again. These people were throwing immunity to Bulma _again_.

At that thought, Bulma's uneasy smile turned into a cocksure smirk. She only had one thing she wanted to say to Mai Valentine, who thought she was doing the right thing by letting the inventor win this challenge.

_Fool._

"Bulma wins immunity!" Iruka exclaimed in surprise, after Bulma ceremoniously popped her final yellow balloon with the slingshot. "Her third consecutive win too!"

"It's always a come-from-behind victory with Bulma." Mai joked.

"Thanks." Bulma smiled discreetly at the blonde. She was thanking her in more than one context. Mai just nodded her head and winked at the immunity winner. _Go girl power._

Meanwhile, Shannon buried his head into his hands upon a horrible realization. He was completely shell-shocked by the results, and he had every reason to be. Without coming across as too complacent, he anticipated this victory from the beginning. He was the only player to hit his balloon every turn. Unlike Bulma, who had two of her shots assisted by other people. One was a genuine accident, but the other was definitely intentional. Shannon can tell. He can see through Mai's deep brown guilty eyes that she was responsible for his loss.

"Is it me tonight?" Shannon asked.

"I'm sorry, Shannon. I couldn't do anything to stop her." Kari muttered quietly and remorsefully. If only she broke Shannon's final balloon during her turn, the outcome would be different. She just never expected Mai to play so _dirty_.

Shannon shook his head and sighed, feeling devastated. He should have anticipated something like this to happen, given his cynical disposition. It was his fault for letting his guard down. But even Shannon never thought he would get backstabbed as early as the immunity challenge. And now, it was the feeling of betrayal that completely overwhelmed him. Who would be cruel enough to strip a person their only opportunity to save themselves? _Mai_. The woman whom he saved three nights ago. Mai Valentine was that cruel.

- - -

"I'm not a bad person."

That was what Mai would say to anybody who cared to listen. But they weren't listening. At least Kari and Shannon weren't. The two of them confronted her as soon as they returned to camp, but they refused to listen to her lies, her apologies, and her explanations. All they wanted to do was to _condemn_ her.

"I'm not a bad person!" Mai repeated, shaking her head. "I didn't break her balloon on purpose! It was an accident! An accident! It could have happened to anyone!"

"You're still lying, Mai." Kari bit her lips.

"Tell the truth for once." Shannon added.

Her alliance had officially turned on her, but only because Mai made the first move. Actually, she made multiple moves behind their backs, so much that even Kari lost faith in her. Mai had hoped the young DigiDestined would be more understanding, but she already devoted herself to Shannon's cause. Kari didn't want him to go tonight, and she wanted no part of any plan that does.

"Are you still with us?" Shannon asked.

"Yes!" Mai exclaimed. After a few seconds, she caved in to their disbelieving glances. "No. I don't know." She shook her head again. "Shannon, you have to understand you're a big threat in this game."

"I..." Shannon paused. He had so many things he wanted to yell at Mai right now. He saved her at the last tribal council. And the tribal council before that. And the tribal council when their initial alliance was formed. He wanted to list out all the times he stayed loyal to her, but he knew he was wasting his breath. She wouldn't listen to reason. This woman was beyond help. "You know what, I'll let my vote dictate my feelings tonight. It was nice meeting you, Mai Valentine."

And he stomped off in another direction, not responding to any of Mai's calls. The blonde was silently relieved that the swordsman wasn't pestering her anymore, because she really wanted to have a private conversation with Kari. The two women, who became such close friends over the past two weeks, had not spoken to each other since that incident two nights ago. There was so much Mai wanted to tell her friend, but there was so little Kari was willing to listen to.

Kari was devastated. She didn't want to feud with Mai. The blonde was one of the first friends she made since Guy's departure. They shared so many thoughtful conversations together, which allowed them to develop a genuine sisterly bond. But ironically, the game that brought their friendship together was about to rip them apart. There were certain unethical decisions that Mai made which Kari simply could not support. Betraying Roy was fine because he was trying to vote Mai off. Betraying Shannon was different, however, because he had done nothing but stay loyal to her. And that was where Kari drew the moral line, no matter how much she respected Mai in any other aspect.

"Kari, you have to understand. Everything I have done so far is to ensure we are the final two." Mai looked at the young girl directly in her eyes. "I don't like to hurt people's feelings, but it's part of the game and I'm willing to get my hands dirty if it means one of us will win the million dollars."

"I want to go to the final two with you too, but this isn't the way to do it." Kari frowned.

"There is no other way." Mai insisted.

"The end does not justify the means!" Kari glared at the blonde. "I believe there is a way to win the million dollars without lying and betraying people like you have done so far. And I know...I know it's impossible to stay completely honest, but the way you handled S-Shannon...after everything he has done for you...I just find that unacceptable."

"Like I said, there is no other way." Mai averted her gaze elsewhere. "_Survivor_ isn't a game based on honour and integrity. It's about outwitting, outplaying, and outlasting others. Shannon is the worst player out here because he has done nothing to save himself. He got too complacent in this alliance, and that's why he is going home tonight."

"Shannon is not the worst!" Kari shot back.

"Then why don't you go lick his asshole some more!?" Mai quipped sarcastically. She lost her cool for one moment – one unguarded moment – but this was the moment that she feared the most. She said something to Kari she will regret for the rest of her time here, and there was no way to retract those hurtful words. By the time Mai wanted to apologize, Kari was already running away. She ran off in the same direction as Shannon, possibly to chase after the swordsman to wherever he went.

First Shannon, now Kari. Mai was now completely alone. They all turned their backs on her in the end. She looked up at the sky, sighing to herself. Nobody understood her motives and intentions in this game. Not even the girl she wanted to take to the final two. Couldn't they see it like she did, that she was simply playing a game? Perhaps she did not have the most honourable tactics, but she never went out of her way to hurt anybody's feelings. She was always kind, considerate, helpful, and friendly to everybody. Yet, people tended to overlook her positive attributes and concentrate solely on the negative. She was a liar. A backstabber. A slut. Every nasty name in the book. They always tried to bring her down.

"I'm not a bad person..."

But who would believe her?

- - -

Roy Mustang found himself back in a position of power, but he still had no idea what to do. On one hand, he could go with the flow and vote off Shannon. Bulma, now that she was guaranteed final four for sure, already promised him that she will vote the same way as he did. On the other hand, Roy could take a huge gamble and remove Mai out of the game. After what happened at the immunity challenge today, he was fairly certain that Shannon and possibly even Kari will vote off their former ally. All he needed to do was to approach them with the plan.

The two of them decided that Bulma shouldn't accompany Roy during his pitch. Neither Shannon nor Kari trusted her very much, and they may not commit to the plan if they knew she was involved. This important duty must rest solely on Roy's shoulders. It wasn't a difficult task though. He was charismatic enough to sell ice cubes to an Eskimo. Roy can easily turn on the charm and convince them to vote his way. All he needed to do was to open his mouth.

Yet, as the pivotal moment drew nearer and nearer, Roy was beginning to have doubts about his perfect plan. He wasn't doubtful about his abilities, but rather if he was making the correct decision overall. Did he really want Shannon in the final four? Just two immunity challenges away from the jury? The swordsman would have won the one today if Mai hadn't interfered. Was Roy, who never won an individual challenge before, confident that he could compete against the swordsman? No, he wasn't. Not even Bulma believed she could win against Shannon in the final challenges, although she argued her last few victories were not _complete_ flukes. But once they were in the final four, the challenges will get a lot more intense, and that was when Shannon will shine.

Ironically enough, he reached the same conclusion as Mai three nights ago. Shannon cannot make it to the final two, or he'll win the entire game.

_**Roy:**_ _Should I vote out Shannon? Should I vote out Mai? I don't know. It's still a toss-up for me. Mai is a weaker competitor in terms of challenges, and she's probably not too popular with the jury either. But I don't think she is including me in any of her plans for the finals, which doesn't bode well for me. Shannon can only rely on immunity, so we'll be able to get rid of him as long as he doesn't win the challenges. And that's the problem right there. Will he actually lose a challenge? Will he ever have an opportunity to lose?_

He folded his arms across his chest.

_**Roy:**_ _There's a lot of pressure tonight. If I make the wrong decision, it could cost me a million dollars..._

Shannon Casull was packing his bags. The other women were nowhere in sight. Perfect. Now, all Roy needed to do was to approach him about the deal. Ask Shannon if he wanted to vote Mai out tonight, because they had the numbers to do so. Gently remind him what happened at the immunity challenge today. Coax him until he gave in to their demands. That was the plan anyway. But Roy seemed reluctant to actually carry it out.

_Vote Mai off._

Roy began walking towards the swordsman. Every step felt so heavy. His legs felt so tired. His whole body felt so worn out. Even his lips felt a little dry. Roy thought about getting a sip of water before he made his pitch, but realized it was just an unconscious excuse to exit this predicament. He had to speak to Shannon while there was still time. It was now or never.

_Vote Shannon off._

He was facing Shannon's back. The swordsman didn't seem to notice his presence yet. That was good. It gave Roy a few more seconds to collect his thoughts. There was still time to back out. If he really wanted to make this pitch, he would have done it a long time ago instead of hesitating like he was right now. Why force himself to do something he didn't like?

_Vote Mai off!_

_Vote Shannon off!_

Ignoring the contradicting voices inside his head, Roy called out the swordsman's name. There, he did it. That wasn't so hard. Now, all he needed to do was to pull off a convincing speech. He should have rehearsed it to perfection by now. But currently, his mind was blank. Roy could not think of a single thing to say.

Shannon turned around and smiled at the colonel.

"Best of luck for tonight," said Roy.

"You too." Shannon nodded.

Roy urgently grabbed his torch and belongings from the ground. He then proceeded to tribal council without saying another word. Thus was the end of the alliance that never was.

- - -

There were four solemn faces at tribal council tonight. Bulma was the only person carrying an energetic expression, partly attributed to the immunity headband around her waist. She possessed it so many times already that she decided to treat it as part of her accessories. Tonight, it served as a belt.

"After tonight, there will be more people on the jury than there are actual players in the game." Iruka said in a reflective voice. "Mai, how much does the jury affect your decisions until the final night?"

"I have thought about the jury. But I'm not making any assumptions that I will be here on the final night, of course." Mai put on a modest smile. "That said, I think it's important not to consider the jury too much in my decision making. They come at the end. They're here to judge my actions, not influence them."

"Shannon, same question."

"I am a consistent person. I will not change myself in front of the jury," said Shannon.

"Bulma, what about you?"

"Good question. I actually think the jury affected my decisions somewhat. It really forced me to step up my game. I'm not sure if anybody saw me a serious competitor when we first merged, but I hope I've changed their opinions by now." Bulma pointed at her headband. "For a woman my age, I think three consecutive wins is quite a feat."

"Now that you brought it up, let's talk about the challenges." Iruka said, nodding his head a few times. "Roy and Kari, neither of you have won an individual challenge yet..."

"Well, I did win a reward challenge with Shannon a while ago. That should count as half of a victory." Roy interrupted.

"I know, but let me finish." Iruka seemed somewhat amused at Roy's attempt to protect his manhood. "Does it concern either of you that you're less likely to win the next two immunity challenges? Kari?"

"A lot of the challenges involve physical strength or some kind of special skill, which I don't have." Kari replied earnestly. "What I do have is a lot of hope and determination. I think my willpower is as strong as anyone here. After all, I did last thirty six days out here. I am strong in my own way."

"So, you think you'll do well in an endurance challenge?" Iruka asked.

"I will definitely try my best." Kari said slowly. As an afterthought, she added, "If given the opportunity."

"Roy, you seemed a bit defensive before..." Iruka shifted his attention onto the colonel.

"That's because you weren't accurate with your information." Roy frowned a little. "You should be more prepared as the host."

"I apologize." Iruka smiled patiently. "But let me ask you the same question. How confident are you about winning the final two challenges?"

Roy thought about his answer for a moment.

"I don't plan to win the final immunity challenge," said Roy. A lot of people appeared surprised at his announcement, including several players on the jury. "As part of their incentive to keep me around, I promise I will step down at the final challenge no matter what it is. If you see me with the immunity headband that night, I shall encourage the jury _not_ to vote for me to win. That's how committed I am to the promise."

"You're serious with this?" Iruka whistled. Giving up on the final challenge? That might be a _Survivor_ first. No, wait, some other idiot already did this in _Survivor: Palau._

"I want to make it to the final two based on how well I played the game, not how well I competed in these silly challenges." Roy replied. He then stole a glance at Mai, who was shaking her head in disbelief. The colonel hoped she understood how serious he was with his final three offer.

"That's a very gutsy thing to say. Let's hope you don't regret it later on." Iruka smirked. "Okay, enough chit-chat. We'll begin the voting. Bulma has immunity and cannot be voted against. Everybody else is fair game. Roy, you're up first."

The castaways voted one by one. As Mai waited for her turn, she contemplated her future in this game. She wasn't made aware yet how close she was to having _no_ future after tonight. If Roy and Bulma double-crossed her, she would literally have zero support in the tribe. But Mai didn't know how essentially powerless she was, at least not at this moment. Right now, she was too busy replaying her argument with Kari earlier in the day. A regretful feeling began to kick in. For a woman who never felt remorseful, she surprisingly had second thoughts about her decision tonight. She wondered if it was too late to change her mind.

She was the last to vote tonight. Perhaps the producers noticed her apprehension about the vote and wanted to maximize the drama. Mai took a deep breath as she crossed the rope bridge and arrived at the voting shrine. Her brain told her to write down Shannon's name, but her heart insisted that she put down Roy's name instead. After another sigh, Mai finally scribbled something on the parchment. This was not the time to argue with her conscience. This was _Survivor_. And players who wanted to win _Survivor_ should have no conscience.

- - -

Iruka revealed Mai's vote first.

"Shannon."

The blonde looked away. This was too painful to watch. Shannon may not have succeeded in securing her loyalty, but at least he made her feel extremely guilty about this decision. Which was quite laughable, considering Mai made some much more difficult decisions in the past. She wouldn't even consider Shannon Casull a friend, unlike Meryl and Harley, but this was the one vote that tugged at her heartstrings the most. It was one thing to vote off a friend. It was another to vote off an ally who remained stubbornly loyal to her throughout.

Shannon nodded his head at the result. It was the first time his name appeared at tribal council, but he wasn't surprised. In fact, he was ready. He was prepared to face whatever happened tonight.

Iruka revealed Kari's vote second.

"Roy."

Mai was surprised. She thought her name would appear on two parchments tonight, hopefully not more. Instead, her name didn't come up once, or twice, or three times, or even four. There were absolutely no votes cast against her at all. Nobody betrayed her. Not even Shannon and Kari, the two people she betrayed the most.

Iruka revealed Shannon's vote next.

"Roy."

True to nature, Shannon did not betray his alliance. The honourable swordsman, in particular, wanted to let this vote define his character. And he did. He wanted to show Mai that he had her back even during a crisis like this, but the same could not be said about her. In fact, she created this _crisis_ in the first place. Shannon wouldn't have received any votes tonight if she let him win immunity. This wouldn't have been happening at all if she didn't get so antsy about the end game.

Iruka revealed Roy's vote afterward.

"Shannon."

_How appropriate._ The colonel smiled to himself. What better way to determine the last man standing than a showdown at tribal council. Roy and Shannon had been bitter rivals at one point. After tonight, their competition will finally end. For one of them anyway.

Roy was fairly confident that he will survive tonight, but he also prepared himself for the worst. He had been surprised before in tribal council. What made tonight any different? Besides, it was difficult to grow complacent when his safety relied on Mai and Bulma, two untrustworthy women with their own agendas. At least Mai was upfront and predictable enough most of the time, but Roy can never be certain with Bulma. There was something suspicious about her. She always carried a shady vibe. He can't read her at all. He never knew what her true intentions were.

_What was this enigmatic woman thinking?_

Bulma just looked straight ahead, with a tiny smirk on her face. She was enjoying herself tonight. What she was smiling about, nobody knew but herself.

"That's two votes for Roy and two votes for Shannon." Iruka paused for a dramatic moment. "One vote left."

He finally revealed Bulma's vote.

"The twelfth player voted out of Survivor: Konoha, and the fifth member of our jury," Iruka flipped over the parchment. "Shannon."

He immediately stood up, grabbed his torch, and walked over to Iruka. He did not waste any time with the sentimental farewells. Shannon just wanted to exit the game as quickly as possible, with his head held high and his dignity still intact. He was proud to make it this far, and even prouder to play a completely honest game. All the remaining players looked a little sad about his departure, but the jury was even more devastated to see him go. His sideline cheerleaders, Harley and Meryl, looked particularly upset about tonight's result.

"Shannon, the tribe has spoken." Iruka quietly snuffed his torch.

"It's time for me to go." Shannon nodded his head, smiling thinly.

The swordsman proceeded to make his classy exit, where he marched down the path that dwindled into darkness. A teary-eyed Kari waved him a final farewell. She felt so helpless at the moment. There were some miracles that even a guardian angel could not perform.

"Congratulations to our final _four_." Iruka smiled at the remaining players. "_Three_ nights from now, _two_ of you will compete for _one_ million dollars. You have a big journey ahead of you. Goodnight and take care."

Iruka watched the four castaways leave the tribal council set. He couldn't decide who he wanted as the ultimate winner. They all felt like _survivors_ in their own ways. Bulma survived a terrible beginning and quietly sneaked into one of the most powerful positions in the game. Mai survived a lot of close encounters at tribal council, emerging as the rightful victor each time. Kari survived her Jiraiya alliance and retaliated with a controversial move that shaped the entire game. And Roy survived despite being a target since the merge, mostly through his clever manoeuvring and cunning plans.

They all survived up until this point, but there could only be one winner in the end. Iruka smiled and shook his head. He, the mere host, was in no position to determine the winner. That was up for the jury of seven to decide. Will they vote based on strictly strategy or will they take their personal feelings into account? And what will happen over the next three nights, with so many lies and promises made?

Iruka only knew one thing for certain: nothing was decided yet. There was no clear winner. It was anybody's game.

- - -

_**Shannon's Final Words**_

Some of my regrets include trusting the wrong people and losing an important immunity challenge. In the end, I let myself down the most. Nonetheless, I am proud that I did not let the game compromise my character. I played honestly and honourably. May be that's why I am not in the final four. Anyway, I learned a lot about myself during my time here, I made many friends, and I'm thankful for the _Survivor_ experience. I am happy. I am very happy.

- - -

**Next time on Survivor: Konoha –**

**Thirty nine days, four final castaways, one million dollars…**

_Iruka: Who will be the Sole Survivor?_

**Will it be Bulma?**

_**Bulma:**_ _I know I didn't make the best first impression. I got into arguments, I annoyed people, and I was the outsider in my tribe. Yeah, I admit I was a pain in the ass. But once I settled down, I stirred the pot until I found myself in a position of power. And look at where I am now. Three immunities, baby! Can't say that about every Moe, Larry, and Joe, can you? This bitch is made out of tough stuff! People constantly underestimated me, which is why I could be the best winner ever._

**Will it be Kari?**

_**Kari:**_ _Since I was the youngest player in the game, right away I was at a disadvantage compared to everybody else. I survived because I was friendly to everybody, I always stayed optimistic, and I played as honestly as I could. Yes, there were times I was not proud of myself. And yes, there were times I struggled a lot. I might be weak physically, but my willpower is as strong as anyone's. I worked hard to get to where I am now. And I believe good things happen to people who work hard to make good things happen. _

**Will it be Mai?**

_**Mai:**_ _Every lie I told and every betrayal I made, I did it out of circumstances. I didn't want to betray Kurz, but he betrayed me first. I didn't want to betray Meryl, but I didn't have the numbers to save her. I didn't want to betray Holland or Harley, but they also betrayed me too. And I didn't want to betray Shannon, but he was my biggest competition out here. I got an unfair label in this game when all I've been doing was to save myself. Love me or hate me, I played one hell of a game. _

**Will it be Roy?**

_**Roy:**_ _I was in game mode from day one. Not to toot my own horn – okay, sorry, may be a little – but I orchestrated some of the biggest moves in this game. No, I wasn't always in power. In fact, I was one of the biggest targets since the merge. But I survived the hard times. I didn't even have to rely on immunity like those other guys. I used my smarts and social skills to make it this far. And I intend to go even further. I don't want to be just the last man standing. I'm aiming for the grand title!_

**Who will win?**

**All will be revealed on – Episode 13: Bittersweet Victory**

- - -

**Author's Notes: **Sorry for the lonnnnng delay for this episode. Only one more to go! I have decided on a winner despite what the ending claims, but I would love to hear your thoughts and speculation. Please review and/or take the survey on my website. Thanks for reading the story so far!


	13. Episode 13: Bittersweet Victory, Part 1

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Mai had a growing concern that Shannon was an unbeatable opponent in the finals. Her worst fears were confirmed when the swordsman nearly won the immunity challenge until she manipulated the outcome, thus prompting a third consecutive victory for Bulma. The inventor further ensured her safety by making a Final Two deal with Mai, while her former ally Roy declared a gutsy promise that he will throw the final immunity challenge. Meanwhile, Mai and Kari experienced a fallout when the latter refused to betray Shannon for ethical reasons. Nonetheless, Mai secured enough votes to take out her largest threat from this game._

_Four castaways remain. Who will be the Sole Survivor?_

**Episode Thirteen: Bittersweet Victory**

Sarutobi Tribe : **Bulma** _(Dragonball Z)_, **Kari** _(Digimon)_, **Mai** _(Yu-gi-oh)_, **Roy** _(Fullmetal Alchemist)_

- - -

**DAY 37**

Over the past few days, Mai Valentine developed a quirky habit unbeknownst to her other tribe members. Before the start of every morning, the adventurous blonde would quietly sneak out of camp and trek to the waterfall. In this unusual place, at a most peculiar time of the hour, she was here to watch the Konoha sunrise all by herself. Mai would later explain, to the inquiring _Survivor_ production crew, that the sunrise looked particularly glorious through the reflection of the water. In her opinion, it was worth waking up early every morning just to catch a glimpse of this spectacular sight.

"This is my happy place." Mai smiled, when asked why she bothered to watch the sunrise every morning. "This is my escape from reality."

Watching these sunrises offered Mai some much needed solace in the game. They reminded her there was more to the _Survivor_ experience than the one million dollars grand prize in the end. After all, how many more times in her life will she live on a foreign land for thirty seven days? How often will she be able to watch another beautiful sunrise back at home? While winning the game was a significant priority, Mai also wanted to enjoy this opportunity of a life time as best as she could. Looking back at her _Survivor_ journey several years from now, she hoped she would have made many fond memories that could bring a smile to her face.

More importantly, watching these sunrises made Mai appreciate the fact that she was still playing the game. It was a feat that twelve other individuals failed to accomplish. Who would have thought that somebody as bold and outspoken as her would make it to the final four? Mai would like to believe that she made it this far based on purely skill, but she knew _luck_ played a major role in her achievements thus far. As Might Guy would describe it, the gods of fortune had been constantly smiling upon her.

If she didn't use that hidden immunity idol against Kurz…

If she didn't secure enough votes against Holland…

If she didn't get the upper hand in that tiebreaker against Faye…

Mai shook her head and smiled to herself. No, not now. She will not think about the game right now. This was her happy place, a place where she will momentarily put aside the stressful aspects of her experience. Right now, she only wanted to feel _grateful_. She was grateful about the good fortunes in her journey thus far, in a whimsical game where anything can happen. A game that she may not be part of beyond day thirty seven.

It was why, with good reason, Mai Valentine viewed every sunrise in Konoha like it was her last one.

- - -

Roy Mustang was in deep trouble.

He knew he was in a precarious position from the minute he woke up. If only he did not oversleep this morning. He should have known better than to leave the three women at camp alone and unsupervised. They were dangerous enough as individual players, but they were even more threatening as a group. Unfortunately, Roy was not part of that group. It wasn't because he carried the title of 'last man standing' that stood out like a sore thumb, but it had more to do with the fact that he was up against a tight-knitted twosome and a turncoat ally who will never force a tie. It would be easy and almost too convenient for the three of them to collaborate together for a final three alliance.

Oh, their scheming wasn't too explicit. The women tried to be discreet. From the moment Roy made the slightest movement in his sleeping bag, Bulma and Kari immediately stopped talking to each other, if only a few seconds too late. Roy couldn't hear what they were whispering about, but he could understand the gist of it. What else could they be discussing about at this stage of the game?

"Good morning." Roy said cautiously.

"Hi." Bulma greeted the colonel with a warm smile. "Breakfast is almost ready."

Roy sat down next to the two women by the campfire. Bulma tried to engage him in a casual conversation, but he hardly paid any attention to inventor. He knew her well enough to understand that she had put on her best poker face. In other words, Bulma had mastered the ability to conceal her plotting underneath her friendly demeanour, whereas her young companion was not quite as good as an actress. Roy focused the most on Kari, who kept her head down shamefully for the entire time, who couldn't look at him straight in the eye, and who was most certainly hiding something behind her shaky smile and teary eyes.

She knew.

She knew that he could read through her like an open book.

And she knew that Roy quickly deducted he was the obvious outsider in the group, because the women had made a pact to stick together a while ago.

Kari, of course, felt incredibly guilty when she agreed to vote out Roy this morning. It wasn't her proudest moment in the game. It wasn't even her suggestion in the first place. Quite unsurprisingly, Bulma was the one who initiated the idea, and Kari felt she had no choice than to jump on the easy bandwagon. She would be a fool to decline a final three deal at this stage. So, why make life so hard for herself? Why not just vote out Roy and guarantee herself safety for one more tribal council?

Poor Roy Mustang. Such a nice guy. He was always so friendly to Kari, but how did she thank him in return? She voted against the colonel three separate times in the game. Four if the tiebreaker was included. To an uninformed outsider, it might seem like Kari had some grudge against Roy, although the young DigiDestined would be quick to dispel that belief. She genuinely enjoyed Roy's company very much. It was just that voting against him seemed so convenient at the time. All the time, in fact. Roy was an easy target for Kari at tribal council. She liked to joke that it was because he had only three letters in his name.

_**Kari:**_ _Roy is great. He's easily one of my favourite people out here. That's why it kills me to write his name down at every tribal council. And the worst thing is…I don't really have a good reason for it. I guess it's because I know he won't get angry about the vote. Roy is an incredibly understanding guy who never takes the game too personally. But that's not a very good explanation, is it? Anyway, I really didn't want to vote against Roy last night. Ideally, it should have been Bulma's turn to go next, but she won immunity. Roy happened to be the best…uh, alternative out of the few limited options._

The most challenging aspect of every tribal council was coping with the dreary morning after. Some people might feel a sense of accomplishment, but not Kari Kamiya. She just felt awkward afterwards. It was especially difficult when the person she voted against still remained in the game. She had to come face-to-face with somebody whom she openly expressed a desire to send home. More than once too. And she was about to do it again.

"Uh…I'll go get the treemail." Kari muttered as she got up from her seat. She did not want to be in the presence of Roy due to sheer guilt, so she could politely excuse herself from camp. Of course, Roy saw this as a prime opportunity to persuade Kari to change her mind. Naturally, he volunteered to go with her, much to her dismay.

"Then I'll come too!" Bulma piped up. She, like Roy, never missed a window of opportunity.

"It's okay! I can get the treemail by myself." Kari laughed nervously. She expected this to happen. "I want to be alone for a while, if you guys don't mind."

Roy bit his lips out of frustration. He couldn't think of a legitimate excuse to accompany Kari without coming across as too invasive. The last thing he wanted was to turn off Kari from any prospects of a future alliance. Meanwhile, Bulma just shrugged her shoulders at Kari's request. She didn't really want to spend another fifteen minutes with the young DigiDestined anyway. Her main objective was to prevent Roy and Kari from spending any alone time together. In fact, Bulma had no intentions of letting the colonel out of her sights today. She will keep him in constant surveillance under her watchful eye.

And so, Kari was free.

"I don't think I'll head back to camp until it's time for the immunity challenge." Kari joked to a nearby cameraperson as soon as she was out of proximity. Spending time in solitude was the ideal alternative over being in the middle of a power struggle between Bulma and Roy. "I'll just walk around the forest in circles."

As she aimlessly navigated her way through the sea of trees, Kari slowly recalled the chat she had with Bulma early this morning. It wasn't a pleasant conversation, and not just because they were scheming against her good friend Roy. There was something about Bulma's business-like demeanour that seemed so cold and callous. She acted as if she had no friendship with Roy despite living together for the past few weeks. Never mind the fact that they were in an alliance with each other only yesterday. Kari could not do that – she didn't have the ability to turn a blind eye on her existing relationships. It might mean she was an emotional player, but she cannot vote out a fellow friend without feeling so remorseful over her decision.

But Bulma was different. She was a cold-blooded mercenary. At times, it was unclear if this woman even considered anyone a genuine friend. She certainly did not lose any sleep after tribal council. And she definitely did not feel any of the tremendous guilt that plagued Kari from day to day.

"We have to vote out Roy." Bulma had told her. In fact, that was the first thing she said to Kari this morning. _Vote out Roy, thanks for your time!_ Just like that. Bulma was never one to waste words on people. "I've thought about it last night, and it's the most logical move for all of us. If we let the weasel make it to the final two, he'll win this game. Mark my words. Roy will schmooze and sweet-talk his way to a million dollars."

"Have you talked to Mai yet?" Kari asked.

"Not yet, but I'll talk to her…soon." Bulma smiled a little. She caught herself just in time. What she really wanted to end the sentence with was the word 'regardless'. She will talk with Mai _regardless_ if Kari agreed to this deal or not. For her own sake, she hoped the DigiDestined would be wise enough to jump on the easy bandwagon. "Roy will be a big pain in the ass for the next twenty four hours. He won't give up without a fight. So, we have to stay strong. We can't let him get to us. Once he's voted off, the three of us can battle it out in the final challenge. Then, it'll be an even-levelled playing field."

As Bulma spoke, Kari thought she was reminded of somebody familiar, although she couldn't identify exactly who. Then, the ugly truth came at her like a sledgehammer. That ruthlessness. That mean-spirited attitude. That mercenary style of game play. Yes, the uncanny parallels became very obvious to Kari all of a sudden. She recognized this person. No, not one individual person, but multiple persons.

Because guess what?

_Faye_ had been a ruthless schemer who would do anything to win a million dollars. And _Harley_ had been a mean-spirited gossip who made sarcastic quips behind people's backs. And _Holland_ had been a mercenary leader who turned against his closest allies in a heartbeat.

Kari shook her head vigorously. She tried so hard to see the good in people, but this time she couldn't shake off the horrible image from her head. There were shades of all three personalities contained within Bulma. She was practically the embodiment of Jiraiya. That woman represented everything Kari despised about her former tribe. Bulma _was_ Jiraiya.

How horrible.

"Are you on board?" Bulma asked, catching the young girl off guard.

There was only one person more horrible than the scheming inventor.

"Okay. I'm in." Kari muttered quietly. She closed her eyes and let out a small sigh. She could not believe she just said those words, but she did.

Despite the unpleasant resemblances between Bulma and the former Jiraiya members, Kari did not let that get in the way of her judgment. She might not necessarily like the inventor very much, but that woman made a legitimate point in her explanation. It was in everybody's best interests, including Kari, to vote out the largest threat. It was as simple as that. Roy Mustang had to go, no matter what Kari might think about the people who was voting alongside with her.

This game was ugly. But Kari knew that already. She was aware of the true nature of _Survivor_ a long time ago.

Contrary to how other players might perceive her, she was not an innocent little girl. At the end of the day, Kari was just as bad as her enemies.

After all, she was Jiraiya too.

- - -

Bulma secured her third and final vote when Mai returned from her trip to the waterfall. Naturally, the blonde agreed to vote out Roy without any hesitance whatsoever. Their exchange was short and sweet. And with that, the colonel's last shred of power in this game was removed. His last glimmer of hope was diminished. The three women all wanted to eliminate their largest threat in this game. Bulma agreed. Kari agreed. Mai sure as hell agreed. And that was that. Roy was going home tonight, almost in an unceremonious manner.

Life was good for Bulma at the moment. She had her numbers all planned out. Everything was going her way.

There was just one problem.

"Bulma, please listen..." Roy hated the blatant desperation in his voice, but at this point, he really had no other moves to play. He had to plead his case to his remaining ally in the game. "If you and I vote against Mai, and we convince Kari to do the same, then we're all in the final three!"

_Oh boy._ The inventor shook her head in disbelief. She can't fathom this turn of events. Roy still thought they were in an alliance together. After she secretly stashed three votes against him at the upcoming tribal council. Pfft! As if she still wanted anything to do with him. He was so pathetic that Bulma wanted to laugh in his face. And she almost did too.

"This might be a pointless question, but when are you going to give up and admit defeat?" Bulma asked with a small sigh.

"I can go on like this all day long." Roy said, humourlessly.

"That's what she said!" Bulma did not miss a beat. She raised her arm in the air for a mutual high-five, but received no response from her companion. Not even a look of acknowledgement. Her attempt to ease the tension with her quick wit normally worked with Roy in their usual conversations. However, he wasn't in a very enthusiastic mood today. He had no time for her juvenile jokes.

"I'm being serious here!" Roy snapped.

_C'mon, that was a good joke! He totally set himself up. I deserve a small chuckle at least._ The sassy inventor slowly retracted her arm, trying her best to refrain herself from making a snide remark. She only realized now that Roy had lost his sense of humour along with his good sportsmanship and possibly his pride.

"Kari will never vote out Mai. That, I know for a fact." Bulma shook her head, speaking more seriously this time.

"At least we could force a tie against them..."

"No."

Roy grunted in frustration. He shouldn't have wasted his breath. Bulma, one of the most selfish players in the game, will never want to draw rocks for another player.

"Roy, I'm really sorry. I wish there was more I can do." Bulma sighed. There may be a hint of genuine remorse in her voice. "To be honest, I think it's my best move if I vote you out now. Mai and Kari are just easier opponents to go against in the final challenge."

"I already told everybody that I'd throw the challenge! That's how desperate I am!" Roy exclaimed.

"I don't believe you for a second, Roy Mustang. You're far too competitive to give up on the final challenge like that." Bulma smirked a little. "Besides, I can see through your clever plan. If you go to the final three with Kari and me, you know we'll both take you to the finals. You don't need to win that challenge."

Roy said nothing. He hadn't decided in his mind yet whether or not he would honour that bold promise he made last night. Would he really step down at the final immunity challenge? Would he really want to put his fate in another player's hands? Roy didn't even know the answer himself.

"What if I win immunity today? What would you do then?" Roy asked.

"Oh Roy." Bulma gestured her hand toward the immunity headband around her neck. "How many challenges have you won so far? It's exactly the reason why Mai wanted to keep you around over Shannon in the first place."

The apparent helplessness of his situation frustrated Roy immensely. Once a powerful player early on, he knew he had been extremely fortunate to survive the past two tribal councils – if just barely. But his luck was about to run out in the final four. Now at the mercy of three women who all wanted him gone, Roy was a sitting duck with almost no power in the game.

The only power he had left was the _jury_ card.

"You shouldn't burn your bridges like that. I'm on the jury too, you know." Roy warned.

"Roy, don't go so low. Don't threaten me with your jury vote. You're starting to lose my respect." Bulma shook her head. "Take your loss like a real man."

"I'm serious, Bulma. I'm not out of options yet." Roy said, almost ominously. "I'm only asking you to work with me because I want to take you to the final two. We played similar games. I would love to sit next to my equal on the final night."

Bulma tossed him a curious glance. Was he bluffing? Did he really have a trump card in his sleeves? She wasn't sure if she should believe him. She can't picture a scenario where Roy would have any power at the next tribal council. Then again, he was just smart enough to come up with a crafty plan on his own. May be she should lie to him and keep him happy? Bulma wasn't one to lead people on with false hope, but sometimes that was the safest option.

_**Bulma:**_ _I want to go against Mai in the final two. I don't think she's very popular with the jury. I know for a fact that I'll get Harley, Faye, and Shannon's votes. That's three right there. Holland will probably lean my way too if he doesn't vote with his crotch. And Roy, despite what he says, will give me a vote because he knows I played one hell of a game. He might be an untrustworthy little weasel, but I know he's not a sore loser. That's the best thing about Roy. He won't cast a bitter vote on the jury._

The production crew was impressed when they heard this confessional. Bulma was clearly a woman with a plan. She knew what she was doing, and she also knew exactly how she will achieve it.

_**Bulma:**_ _Here's my problem. Roy isn't on the jury yet. I need his vote, so why would I possibly want to take him to the final two? I'm ready to cut all ties with him and vote him out at the next tribal council. I'm just afraid that Roy will do something really crazy to mess up my plans. Such as winning today's immunity. So, I need to make sure I'm still on good terms with him. Better safe than sorry. I'll probably still vote him out next, but oh well._

With all things considered, Bulma ultimately decided that she'd rather have Roy Mustang as a friend than an enemy. Plus, she needed his vote on the jury. So, okay, she would entertain herself with his crazy schemes for a little while. Listen to what he had to say. Then, vote him out at tonight's tribal council regardless. Bulma knew it was dangerous to play with fire like this, but as long as she can keep Roy from doing additional damage...

"If I win immunity again, I'll reconsider your plan." Bulma said finally, with a small frown. That seemed like a fair and plausible deal. She could easily win immunity for a fourth time, considering her dismal competition.

"Okay. Good. That's a start." Roy sighed in relief. At least he got somewhere with this speech.

"And if you win immunity, I'll go with you for sure." Bulma continued.

"Even better." Roy grinned. That sounded very reassuring.

"All bets are off if Mai wins immunity. That's just a dead end right there." Bulma shrugged her shoulders, while Roy grimaced. Mai winning immunity would be the worst case scenario for him. "Sorry."

"What if Kari wins?" Roy asked.

"Oh please. We're talking about realistic scenarios here." Bulma scoffed. As if Kari ever stood a chance of winning an immunity challenge. She wasn't even a serious contender.

Roy nodded his head, seemingly satisfied. He did not know yet that Bulma was just feeding him with false hope to keep herself on his good side. In reality, as things were at the moment, nothing had changed. Roy was still a marked man. And if he didn't win immunity today, he was definitely going home.

- - -

Immunity was back up for grabs again.

"Welcome to your penultimate immunity challenge." Iruka spoke to the final four castaways with a cheery smile, as always. "Today, you'll be navigating in a maze. Each of you will start at a different corner of the maze – and don't worry, the maze is designed symmetrically, so the level of difficulty will be the same for everybody. Obviously, the first person to arrive at the centre of the maze will win immunity."

"But there's a _twist_!" Bulma said half-jokingly.

"Indeed. There is a tiny twist in this challenge." Iruka nodded, looking a bit embarrassed. After thirty seven days, the players were totally used to these challenges. They weren't fazed by anything. "At every turn and intersection, there will be a personal question about one of your fallen comrades. If you answer correctly, you'll be guided in the right direction in the maze. If not, you have to go back and answer the question again."

Mai looked particularly confident after hearing the instructions. For somebody who got to live with both starting tribes, she was acquainted with nearly every player in this game. Since this was essentially a 'fallen comrades' challenge that takes place in a maze, Mai thought she might have the upper hand over everybody else.

"All of these questions will be about the players who have at least made the merge. Once again, this is done so that the level of difficulty is roughly the same with everyone." Iruka continued, "You should all be able to answer questions about Zolo, even if he only lived in the merged tribe for a few days."

_Uh oh._ Bulma cringed. She couldn't recall a single tidbit of information about Zolo other than the fact that he cursed a lot. She barely remembered what that pirate guy even looked like!

Then, she turned to glance at Roy Mustang on her left. He looked totally relaxed. And why shouldn't he? That guy had a killer memory. Plus, he knew Zolo and Meryl better than anybody else just from the amount of time they spent on the same tribe. This challenge was practically designed for a social butterfly like him. Bulma would go as far to say that Roy almost had an _unfair_ advantage in this challenge. Despite what Iruka may say about the level of difficulty, she thought Roy surely had the best odds to win.

_And if Roy won..._

Bulma closed her eyes and shook her head. That would be the worst case scenario ever. She didn't want to jinx it, but she cannot begin to imagine how awful things would be if everybody's intended target was immune tonight. No, Roy simply must not win this challenge, or else he will inadvertently seal Bulma's fate in the game.

- - -

"Survivors ready? Go!"

The immunity challenge commenced. Each person started at a different corner in the hedge maze, so they had no idea how much progress the other players made. They had to rely on their intuition, as well as their knowledge of the fallen comrades, in order to navigate their way to the centre.

Bulma arrived at the first intersection, anticipating the worst. There was a question posted on the wall with several possible answers underneath it.

"How many earrings does Zolo wear on his left ear?" Bulma read the question out loud.

The inventor immediately turned to a nearby camera with a dumbfounded expression on her face. How on earth was she supposed to know that? She had no idea at all. She would be more than happy to answer a complex math or physics question, but this 'fallen comrades' crap felt _impossible_.

"I'll never be able to get out of the maze at this rate." Bulma joked.

The instructions told her to turn left if she thought the answer was 'one', turn right if the answer was 'two', or go straight ahead if the answer was 'three'. Bulma, who couldn't even recall that Zolo wore jewellery on any part of his body, took a random guess and walked straight ahead. She figured the fewer turns she made, the less likely she will get lost in this maze.

Rather surprisingly, Bulma guessed the correct answer for her first question. Zolo did indeed wear three triangular earrings on his left ear. However, Bulma had no idea she was moving in the right direction until she stumbled upon the second question.

"What insurance company does Meryl work for?" Bulma rolled her eyes. Oh great. Another difficult question about somebody she barely knew.

This time, Bulma turned left. She hoped that she would make another lucky guess...

- - -

"Meryl works for the Bernardelli Insurance Society, so I have to turn right." Roy proclaimed.

So far, Roy Mustang was rocking this challenge like nobody's business. He answered the first two questions correctly with relative ease. All that time schmoozing with his tribe members finally paid off in the end. It also didn't hurt that Roy had a very sharp memory and could remember the most mundane details of somebody's life.

Roy ran to his next intersection. There was no time to waste. In a challenge that meant either life or death to him, it was absolutely crucial that he won this immunity today. So, Roy ran. He ran like the wind. He ran like somebody who was chasing after his destiny. He ran very quickly, but he also ran very carelessly.

Because he ran right past a hidden intersection without even noticing.

He didn't stop to read the third question and he ran right into a dead end.

"Shit. I got it wrong." Roy muttered under his breath. He realized that he made a mistake, but he was unaware _what_ mistake he made. For all he knew, Roy thought he answered the second question incorrectly.

The careless colonel had no idea that he zoomed right past an intersection. And ironically, he was going to commit the same mistake _twice_. As he retraced back his steps, he passed the third question without stopping _again_. He ran all the way back to the second intersection, where he reread that question about Meryl again. This time, he took the alternative (and the incorrect) route. He had no idea he was plunging himself into an even bigger mistake.

It was a mistake that could possibly cost him this win.

- - -

So far, Mai answered the first two questions incorrectly. It was somewhat excusable that she thought Zolo wore only two earrings on his left ear, but the blonde felt a little embarrassed that she couldn't remember what company Meryl worked for. And Meryl was supposed to be her friend too. For somebody who felt very confident going into this challenge, Mai's current performance could be described as pathetic. It wasn't because Mai didn't care about the people she lived with. She just had a really poor memory.

Nonetheless, she made a quick recovery from her earlier mistakes. The blonde was actually the first player to arrive at the third intersection, due to the bigger blunders of her competitors. Mai was somehow in the lead, and she didn't even know it.

"Where is Holland's tattoo located?" Mai read the question out loud. "Turn left if it is on his left arm, turn right if it is on his right arm, or go straight if he doesn't have a tattoo."

_Holland, Holland, Holland._ The blonde closed her eyes and tried to recollect a vague image of the Gekko-State leader. Yes, she could remember that he had a tattoo on his arm. Some sort of weird symbol. But which arm was it? The left or the right?

That was the biggest problem Mai encountered so far in this challenge. She knew about _some_ of the details about her fallen comrades, but she just didn't remember exactly what they were. She knew those earrings on Zolo's ears were a gift from his childhood friend. She knew Meryl worked for an insurance company with her best friend Millie. And she knew Holland got that tattoo during his rebellious teenage years. But for the life of her, she just couldn't remember the specific details that mattered.

_What arm was the tattoo located at? Left or right?_

Mai took an impatient sigh. No, she couldn't remember. Oh well, couldn't help it. She'd just have to take another guess again.

So, she turned right.

- - -

Kari was fairly certain that Holland had a tattoo on his left arm. The middle-aged man was not very modest about his lanky body, so he often walked around camp shirtless or even in his underwear. Kari remembered having a casual conversation about that tattoo with Holland during the first week they were living together. That was back when Holland and Kari actually respected one another. Looking back, the young girl found it funny how much her relationships changed in this game. If Guy didn't get voted off, would she still be friends with Holland? Or better yet, would he still be in the game?

Although she guessed on the first two questions on the maze, Kari was now the leader in this challenge. Mai just made a wrong turn, Roy was still on the wrong route, and Bulma had no idea how to answer any of these questions. For possibly the first time ever, little Kari was actually a contender to win immunity – and she didn't even realize it.

However, that lead of hers was short-lived as soon as she arrived at the fourth intersection.

The next question was about Harley.

And that man, even if he was not physically in the game, seemed destined to cause nuisance to his archenemy as much as possible.

- - -

By the time Roy found the third intersection, he figured he was too far behind to actually win this immunity. He thought the other women would be at their fifth or sixth intersection by now. Little did he know that they were struggling just as much as him. Despite his lack of optimism, Roy decided that he won't give up on this challenge without trying his best. So, he continued to run like a madman throughout the maze, but he was much more cautious this time. He made sure to turn his head both ways and look at every direction in case there was a missing intersection. He then breezed past the next two questions about Harley and Faye. And soon, unbeknownst to the colonel, he regained his lead again.

Meanwhile, Bulma was as lost as ever. She, like the colonel, missed the third hidden intersection. She spent the next few minutes walking around in circles, fully accepting the fact that she will not win immunity for a fourth consecutive time.

Mai fared slightly better than the inventor. She made it past the fourth intersection without trouble – thanks Harley – but she struggled at the fifth one. Unsurprisingly, since that question was related to Faye. And Mai knew almost nothing about the antagonistic bounty huntress. So, once again, Mai answered incorrectly and reached another dead end, wasting much valuable time.

Roy's only real contender was Kari, who managed to catch up through a series of lucky guesses and careful observations. She may not be the loudest person in a group sometimes, but she was certainly the most attentive. She always had an eye for details. And more importantly, she was genuinely interested in learning more about her fellow tribe members. That was why, for the first time ever, Kari was in the top two for a challenge. And she might possibly take home the upset victory.

Roy and Kari arrived at their sixth and final intersection around the same time. The last question was about Shannon: _What was his twin sister's name?_

Turn left if her name is Pacifica.

Go straight ahead if her name is Raquel.

One name. That was what it came down to. Roy laughed, knowing that he was one just name away from winning the most important immunity in his life. He couldn't believe how close he was to winning this challenge.

And that was why it felt so _tragic_ when he made the left turn and indirectly handed Kari the win.

"Kari wins immunity!" Iruka announced through his megaphone, signifying the challenge was over. The petite DigiDestined was the first player to arrive at the centre of the maze, having answered the last question about Shannon correctly.

The young girl let out a gleeful shriek. This was her first victory ever. She actually won something! How did that happen!?

Roy fell on his knees when he heard the results, although he knew he had the wrong answer when he saw a dead end ahead of him. He knew right away he shouldn't have made that turn. If only he ran straight ahead, he could have defeated Kari on a simple footrace. But no, he answered the last question incorrectly, and that was what cost him this game. Of course it had to be the other name. The one that Roy didn't pick. The one that anybody who knew Shannon well enough would know. _Raquel_. Stupid _Raquel_. What kind of name was _Raquel_ anyway?

Whoever she was, Roy only knew one thing about this woman he never met:

Raquel Casull just lost him one million dollars today.

- - -

The moment Roy lost that immunity challenge, he lost his last piece of bargaining chip in the tribe. As soon as the players returned to camp, the three women immediately met up and confirmed their common objective. Roy, Roy, and Roy. Yep, their meeting was over before it even began. The vote couldn't be any easier tonight. Goodbye, Roy Mustang!

"Roy just has to go. There's no other way." Mai acted as the ringleader behind the rally to get rid of Roy. The blonde wanted that pesky man gone for a couple of tribal councils now, and the right moment had finally come. "The three of us would have a much better chance at the last immunity challenge against each other."

"I'm totally on board with you, girlfriend." Bulma nodded her head, happy to agree.

"Yeah." Kari added meekly. She still felt remorseful about writing down her friend's name again.

"Well, that was quick." Mai shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. Strategy sessions could be as quick as thirty seconds when there was a common enemy among the group. "Meeting adjourned, I suppose."

Bulma was so certain that Roy was going home tonight; she began to make plans in preparation for the final three. It was never too early to plan ahead, especially when there was another tribal council tomorrow. The inventor might have survived the upcoming vote, but she needed to guarantee herself a spot in the final two. What she really wanted was a concrete deal with Mai Valentine, her ideal finalist. Bulma automatically assumed that sitting next to Mai in the finals would mean a million dollars in her bank account. Surely, the jury would be more impressed with Bulma's quiet and deceptive strategy than Mai's 'blatantly backstab everyone and their mothers' strategy, if one could even call that a _strategy_. The inventor knew who she wanted to go up against on the final night. She just needed to persuade Mai to think the same way.

"Remember that final two deal we discussed a while ago?" Bulma had the opportunity to speak with Mai in private once Kari had disappeared from proximity. "I hope you aren't going to take Kari, because we both know that girl doesn't deserve to win. Nice girl, but not a winner. Plus, she'll kill you in the jury. She'll cream both of us."

Bulma looked up at Mai expectantly. The blonde didn't give a response yet.

"To be honest, we stand the best chance against each other in the final two. Neither of us can go up against Roy or Kari and win," said Bulma.

Mai wasn't convinced yet. She thought she stood a fair chance against Kari, whom most jurors liked but never really respected as a player. Roy might be a more formidable opponent, but he too burned down a lot of bridges, so he can't be that popular with the jury either. The only player who was unbeatable in a final two scenario was Shannon Casull, and he wasn't here anymore thanks to Mai.

"So, are you game? Game for final two with me?" Bulma asked, somewhat impatiently.

"Fine. I guess I've no other choice." Mai lied. She would be a fool to turn down a final two deal with Bulma. She knew how the inventor operated. If Mai didn't say yes, Bulma would just go to Kari and offer the same deal. Mai might as well accept the deal and reap the benefits.

Besides, what was the worst that could happen?

_**Mai:**_ _Yep, I'm all set for the finals. Roy is going home tonight, and I made a final two deal with both Bulma and Kari. Obviously, I can't honour both obligations. Then again, I never intend to win the final immunity challenge. I'm going to throw it. Well, I won't make a big spectacle about it like Roy did, but yeah...I decided that it's not in my best interest to win the final challenge. Bulma and Kari will both take me to the finals, so I see no reason to upset one of them by winning. And no matter what Bulma says, I think I stand a good chance against either of them in the finals. Actually, I feel pretty good about my plans for the end game. I feel pretty day-um good!_

The blonde looked pretty relaxed in her confessional. She wasn't stressed about the upcoming tribal councils at all.

_**Mai:**_ _Right now, I just don't want any more blood on my hands. Even though I made a final two deal with Bulma and Kari, I don't want to betray either of them unless it's absolutely necessary. I'll make the final two anyway. So, it's a case of 'why buy the cow when I can get the milk for free'? I backstabbed enough people as it is. I'm done screwing people over. And I just want at least one supporter on the jury..._

While the women contemplated about their plans for the end game, Roy was focused solely on surviving the next tribal council. He didn't have the luxury of thinking about a future that will likely not exist beyond tomorrow. In a couple of hours, he will go from being the last man standing to being the last man voted off. His fate in this game seemed inevitable.

"I'm sorry. They're voting for you tonight." Kari muttered sadly. Her first priority after the immunity challenge was to make a heartfelt apology to the man she wronged the most. Even though he was supposed to be her friend, it seemed as if there was little she can do to change the outcome. She was going to vote for him at tribal council. Again. So, Kari thought she, at the very least, owed him a sincere apology.

"So I figured." Roy sighed with defeat.

"I'm really, really, really sorry." Kari looked sheepish.

"Oh no. Not this again." Roy chuckled, shaking his head. "I told you already, Kari. Don't worry about it." He flashed a faint smile at the young girl. "Kari, I understand why you're voting against me. I don't mind. It's just a game!" His smile quickly turned into a mischievous grin. "Although now I know for sure that you hate my guts..."

"No, don't say that! I don't hate you at all!" Kari protested.

"I know you've been secretly conspiring against me all along. Don't even try to deny it." Roy teased her playfully.

"Roy!" Kari exclaimed out of exasperation.

Roy simply laughed. He reached his hand out and patted the young girl on her knee. In many ways, Kari was like a breath of fresh air in _Survivor_. She was always so innocent, untainted by the nastiness that was so prevalent in the game. Here was a girl who rarely lies, seldom backstabs, and never speaks badly about another player. Compared to everybody else, she seemed like an impenetrable pillar of goodness. But as good as Kari might seem, Roy can't help but think she might have an ulterior motive. It was suspicious of her to approach a doomed man just hours before tribal council. Was she not afraid that he'll pester her to change her mind, like any sane player would do in these circumstances? Or was there something else she desperately wanted from him? Forgiveness? A jury vote perhaps? No, that wasn't it. She didn't seem like that type of character. Roy must dig a little deeper. He must learn to read between the lines.

Here were the facts: the young DigiDestined did not want to vote for her friend tonight. Not again. She already expressed some hesitance about writing his name down. After all, she wouldn't have apologized to him earlier if it had been something she was willing to do. So, Kari was feeling reluctant and also a bit indecisive. That much Roy knew. He figured the only reason she voted with Mai and Bulma was because she didn't have a better alternative. And Roy had the whole afternoon to convince Kari that _he_ was her ideal alternative.

"Will you do me a favour?" Roy glanced at his friend, smiling sadly. He then continued to speak without waiting for a response. "Don't vote for me tonight."

"I can't vote for Mai." Kari shook her head, as much as it pained her to do so. A promise was a promise. Mai had watched her back for a large portion of this game. Kari was just too loyal to betray her friend at the final four

"No, not her. I don't want to vote out Mai tonight. That's a lost cause." Roy smiled slyly at the Digidestined. He paused for a few seconds, waiting for Kari to understand the meaning behind his words. "I just want you to help me force a tie."

He stopped for another pause. Wait for it, wait for it.

"Let's vote against _Bulma_."

Kari looked a bit baffled by his suggestion at first. She didn't get his message right away, since the thought process was still developing in her brain.

But then, an intrigued smile crossed her lips.

"Okay, I'm listening..."

- - -

Tonight marked the first time the jurors outnumbered the remaining players at tribal council. All of a sudden, the power at tribal council seemed to be shifting. It became clearer to everybody that the jury will ultimately decide who wins the one million dollars in the end. And for that reason, the four players phrased their answers very carefully and eloquently tonight. Bulma was more serious than usual, and often she would find a way to compliment herself or insult another player in her answers. Mai also addressed most of her answers to the jury instead of Iruka, to the extent where the host reminded her that she cannot communicate with the jurors. As for Roy, he especially catered his answers to the jury. However, he decided that actions speak louder than words. Because if he survived the tribal council tonight, he was certain these jurors will give him a lot of respect.

A popular discussion topic was Roy's outrageous deal at the last tribal council. Previously, the colonel made a very bold claim when he declared that he'd lose the final challenge on purpose if he made it to the final three. Iruka dismissed the idea as an empty promise at first, but now he was feeling a little intrigued. If Roy did survive this tribal council, he had a very fascinating dilemma ahead of him. So, the host asked Roy to elaborate more on this issue.

"I'm surprised that nobody took my offer seriously." Roy took several glances at the jurors, including them in his statement. "What I'm doing is basically increasing their chances to make it to the final two."

"Is anyone buying it? Does anyone believe Roy?" Iruka asked.

There was some whispering among the jurors until Iruka told them to hush. Bulma and Kari were too diplomatic to answer such a question. Only Mai, always the bold and outspoken one, was seen shaking her head.

"It's bullshit. Absolute bullshit. Roy is full of shit." Mai spoke in a self-assured manner. She sounded as if she knew she was definitely right. "There's no way he'll honour that deal. And I don't think what he did is very smart either. It just tells everyone that he's very desperate to make a deal like that."

"But if I break the deal, wouldn't that be an incentive to take me to the final two?" Roy suggested.

"You're playing the devil's advocate. That's what you do best, Roy. You play these mind games so other people will get confused and make a mistake." Mai argued back. "If anyone takes your offer at face value, they'd realize how stupid it is. Anyone who takes you to the final three is a dumbass. You'll just say 'Gotch'ya!' and win the final immunity challenge anyway. Your word means nothing in the game."

"It's a little rich coming from you, Mai, considering how many promises you have broken in the past." Roy shrugged his shoulders.

"But this isn't about me. It's about you and a promise that you won't be able to keep." Mai snapped.

"You just sound like a hypocrite." Roy shrugged again.

"Dude, whatever. You reek of desperation anyway. You'd say anything to save your own skin. I'm sure the jury can tell." Mai rolled her eyes. She couldn't wait for this tribal council to be over so she wouldn't have to put up with Roy anymore. He was being so abrasive tonight. She normally liked the guy and all, but he was going all out on his final night. He won't get voted off without a blaze of glory. "Next question, please."

Iruka smiled nervously. Whenever there was a conflict at tribal council, he tended to let it play out naturally without any interference. Sometimes, a player had to specifically demand a topic be dropped in order for the discussion to move on.

Other than Roy's ballsy deal, another popular topic tonight was Kari's surprise victory at the immunity challenge. Some of the jurors were pleasantly surprised to see that she was not _totally_ useless in the challenges. Sensing their curiosity, Iruka brought up the subject and asked Kari to explain why she won this challenge in particular.

"I guess I'm just good at listening to what people have to say. I like making friends with people and I like listening to their stories." Kari replied. As she spoke, she could see Harley rolling his eyes and whispering something scandalous to his buddy Faye, which makes her snicker. The young girl tried to ignore them and not let this influence her answer. "Um, I think I'm pretty observant. I notice some details about people that others may not see."

"Bulma, on the other hand, your performance today was not that spectacular..." Iruka began.

"I know what you're implying. And no, I didn't lose the challenge because I don't give a damn about my fallen comrades." Bulma smiled dryly at the jurors. "I thought the challenge design was a little unfair, because I barely had any time to know Zolo or Meryl. It's difficult to answer questions about people who are like strangers to me."

"Well, Kari managed." Iruka pointed out.

"Good for her." Bulma resisted the urge to snark back at the host.

"Do you feel vulnerable without the immunity headband tonight?" Iruka asked.

"I never feel like I'm safe in this game. It's a gut instinct; I can't help it. I've been a target since the first week on the game, so I always feel like I'm in some sort of danger. In some ways, I'm kind of like the persistent underdog who fought against the worst odds ever. I guess I made it this far with my _charming_ personality." Bulma laughed. "Anyway, if there's one thing this game taught me, I learned to never take anything for granted. I won't be surprised if my name came up."

"Mai, what about you?"

"My fingers are crossed. I hope it's not me." Mai joked.

"Roy?"

"I brought my belongings and bid my farewells, so I'm anticipating the worst tonight." Roy said in a solemn voice. "But who knows? I may have a guardian angel somewhere in this tribe. In any case, I won't give up until my torch is snuffed."

Sitting at the jury, Shannon's eyes lit up. His personal experience with a 'guardian angel' rang a bell in his head. _Could it be?_ The swordsman shot a curious glance at Roy first, and then Kari. He could read in between the lines. Something _big_, something _crazy_, something _unexpected_ was definitely going to happen tonight.

Iruka ended the discussion here and instructed the players to vote. First Mai. Then Bulma. Roy afterwards. And finally, Kari. She took a slightly longer time with her vote than usual. Most people just assumed that she was apologizing to Roy a million times, but that wasn't the case at all. She felt apologetic, yes. But the recipient of her vote was not Roy. Once again, the quiet DigiDestined was going to give everybody a startling surprise tonight, one that will surely alter the course of this game.

After this tribal council, there was no way Mai and Bulma will end up in the final two together.

They'd be lucky if even one of them made it to that point.

- - -

"Once the votes have been read, I'll ask the person voted off to leave tribal council area immediately." Iruka made his obligatory remarks before revealing the results. "I'll now read the votes."

First vote.

"Roy."

The colonel just shrugged his shoulders. This came as no surprise to him.

"Bulma."

She smiled tensely at her name. It had been a long time since her name came up at any tribal council. Although the inventor didn't think she had anything to worry about tonight, it still felt slightly discomforting to hear her name at all. Iruka normally had a sweet and pleasant voice, but not in this context.

Third vote.

"Roy."

He nodded his head, as if to accept his fate.

But then, something _magical_ happened. It was the same kind of magic that got Kurz Weber voted off. Somehow, some way, Roy managed to undo his destiny that had previously been set in stone. What was supposed to be an uneventful night suddenly got a lot more interesting when Iruka turned over the fourth and final vote.

That vote belonged to Kari, and it had five letters written neatly on the parchment.

"Bulma." Iruka read the name out loud. The inventor gasped, while a few faces lit up from the jury. "We have a tie."

Initially perplexed by the shocking results, Bulma needn't look further than the young girl sitting next to her in order to understand what happened tonight. She was sitting right beside the culprit, who had her head down and refused to make eye contact with anybody. But all of the players and jurors were looking at her. They knew she was responsible for what happened tonight. She was the only person smart enough – or stupid, depending on whose perspective – to force a tie at this tribal council.

Little innocent Kari Kamiya was not so innocent anymore.

However, Kari ended up being the least of Bulma's concerns at the moment. Right now, the inventor was too focused on communicating with Mai. Through her eyes. Through mouthing silent words to the blonde. Actually, Bulma only wanted to speak one word – 'no'. No. _No, don't do it, Mai_. No!

But at the same time, Mai was also passing a silent message with her body language. She too was communicating the same dreadful word: No. _No, can't do it, Bulma. Sorry._ But no.

Bulma dropped her head, looking defeated already. Mai's response was all she needed to see. In a matter of seconds, she watched her entire game – along with her beautifully crafted plans for the end game – crumble right in front of her. She no longer had a legitimate final two deal with Mai. She didn't even have a guaranteed position in the final three. In fact, Bulma had about ninety seconds left in her life span before the inevitable happened. Mai will then switch her vote in order to avoid another tie, just like Bulma had done so in the past. Unsurprisingly, the blonde would rather backstab another jury member than to become the unfortunate victim of a chance elimination.

For somebody who was so vehement to avoid a purple rock under any circumstances, Bulma's destiny now rested solely on a tiebreaker that will never happen.

She almost wanted to laugh out loud.

The irony was killing her.

- - -

With three votes, Bulma became the thirteenth person to be voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_.

She never saw it coming.

As she stood up and grabbed her torch, Bulma glared at each of the three remaining players. None of them would look at her straight in the eye. She wondered who was the most responsible for her ouster tonight. Was it Roy, who orchestrated this vote so he can save himself? Or was it Mai, who switched her vote before the tiebreaker in order to save herself? In the end, Bulma settled on Kari as the chief culprit. That devious girl was the catalyst which led to the inventor's ultimate demise. But Bulma wasn't bitter about the outcome. Just disappointed. _Very_ disappointed, mostly in herself. After thirty seven days, she was finally outsmarted – by the one player whom she had underestimated for the entire game.

"Bulma, the tribe has spoken." Iruka extinguished the flame on her torch. Bulma closed her eyes and nodded her head once. "It's time for you to go."

The inventor smiled a little to herself as she began the walk of shame. A few seconds later, she was over it. The game was over. Whatever. She shouldn't feel upset about tribal council anymore. Fourth place was not too shabby, after all. Step by step, Bulma marched down the dwindling path until her figure finally disappeared among the darkness.

And then, there were three.

Kari had a lot on her mind as she left tribal council that night. She can't help but wonder if she made the right decision. After Roy spent the whole afternoon _poisoning_ her mind – no, he wouldn't appreciate such a biased term. No, after he spent the whole afternoon _enlightening_ Kari with his theories, she realized it might not be in her best interests to keep Bulma around at the final three. As he so eloquently pointed out, the inventor's plans for the end game did not include Kari anywhere in the picture. Bulma obviously wanted to sit next to Mai at the final two, while Mai didn't really mind as long as _somebody_ takes her to the finals. Given Kari's lack of available options, that puts her at an obvious disadvantage going into the final challenge, where she must win or she will be sent home as the third placer.

"But it could be avoided if you vote with me tonight." Roy had told her. "Kari, your destiny is in your own hands. Do you want to win this game? Or are you playing for third place?"

His words echoed in Kari's head for the entire night. Did she want to take a huge risk? Or was she willing to let Mai and Bulma go to the final two with each other? Then again, Kari thought she was oversimplifying the situation. On the flip side, voting off Bulma tonight carried some severe consequences in the future. She will make another bitter enemy on the jury. And her chances of winning will grow even slimmer.

"Do it for me. Do it for a friend." Those were Roy's last words before they departed for tribal council.

After tonight, Kari realized an important truth about herself. She didn't vote for Bulma because of what Roy told her. And she definitely didn't make this decision because she felt sorry for her friend Roy. In the end, Kari cast a vote against Bulma because she knew this was the best move for _her_ game. Not Mai's. Not Roy's. But Kari's game. She was playing her own game, as ruthless and cutthroat as it may be. She will make her own decisions, cast her own votes, and take responsibility over her own actions. No longer will anyone dictate Kari how to play _Survivor_. Starting from now, she will do whatever as she pleased.

No more flying below the radar. No more hiding behind people's shadows. It may have taken her thirty seven days to arrive at this triumphant stage, but Kari finally believed she was ready.

She was ready to play _hardball_.

- - -

_**Bulma's Final Words**_

I got too complacent and planned a little too far ahead. I should have known Roy would be able to cook up a diabolical scheme. Oh well, I tip my hat off to a better player. I admit that I was outwitted, outplayed, and fully outlasted. For a woman my age, I thought I did pretty damn well in _Survivor_. It's not like I needed the money anyway. I was just here for the experience and the thrill of the game. It has been a fun thirty seven days, but right now I'm craving for some food, a shower, and a new set of clothes. Goodbye Konoha, and back to civilization I go!

- - -

**DAY 38**

Another morning, another sunrise, another trip to the waterfall. This time, Mai brought company to her favourite hangout. Kari was a little reluctant at first when asked to wake up this early in the morning, but she made a special exception for her friend Mai. The two of them had not spoken much since their feud a few days ago. Kari wasn't too sure if they forgave each other after such harsh words were exchanged. It didn't help matters that they voted for different people in the past few tribal councils. However, the tension between them mellowed out as the days passed by. At least they were on speaking terms now, although they still weren't as close as they previously were. Kari and Mai used to be two peas in a pod.

Mai must have been ready to move on if she invited Kari to watch the sunrise this morning. Or so the young DigiDestined hoped anyway.

The two of them quietly enjoyed the scenery by the waterfall. Mai sat down on the grass and glanced up at the sky. She smiled a little when Kari sat next to her and did the same thing. At first, there was just soothing silence between them. Neither of them knew what to say to each other, nor did they feel a compulsion to fill the air with their voices. This silence matched the beautiful atmosphere. It was very calming, almost peaceful. If there was one thing the tribe learned from Shannon, it was that a moment of silence can sometimes speak more volumes than a thousand words.

"It's beautiful." Kari said, finally breaking the silence. She looked at her friend with a radiant smile. "Thanks for showing me this, Mai."

"Yeah, yeah." Mai returned the smile. "That's what friends are for."

_**Kari:**_ _I reached my lowest point in Survivor around the time Guy got voted off. I remembered being really depressed, because I blamed myself for causing two of my best friends to go home back-to-back. Fortunately, Mai pulled me out of the slump and gave me motivation to continue playing this game. She was there for me when I needed her the most. If it wasn't for her support, I don't think I would have made it this far. I don't even think my experience would be half as pleasant without her. That's why I'll never write down her name at tribal council, no matter how much anybody convinces me. I'd be more than happy to take a bullet for my best friend Mai. _

The young girl folded her arms around her knees, while smiling faintly at the camera.

_**Kari:**_ _We used to get along really well. We would talk for hours about anything and everything. But we, uh…got into a stupid argument a few days ago, and now we aren't as close. I don't even remember what we were arguing about. And really, I don't care. I'll apologize a million times if that's what it takes to mend our friendship. I just want the two of us to be friends again._

They didn't speak again until a few minutes later, when the sun had risen up and morning was officially started. Mai cracked a small joke about Roy being lonely all by himself, so the pair made their way back to camp. Then, the blonde made another enthusiastic suggestion, one that Kari heartily agreed to as soon as she heard it.

"Why don't we get treemail together?" Mai asked cheerfully. A sheepish smile crossed her face. "I kinda miss our girly talks in the forest."

Also smiling, Kari nodded her head with excitement. It was the way Mai said her last sentence – so nervous and uncharacteristic of the blonde – that made the young DigiDestined smile. She was just glad they were talking again. These past few days, the two of them had been avoiding each other as much as possible. Kari spent her time with Roy mostly, so camp life didn't feel too miserable. But poor Mai, who already voted off a majority of her real friends, felt so lonely without anybody to talk to. Shannon was a horrible conversationalist, and Bulma didn't perceive the blonde beyond a casual acquaintance. Besides, nobody in this tribe understood Mai as well as Kari did. Sweet, kind, gentle Kari. She had forgiven Mai long ago even without an official apology. And Mai never did quite apologize for her actions, which she deemed as necessary in order to make it this far in the game. In any case, their feud seemed so silly and pointless a few days later. Why were they arguing when they both realized they needed each other in the game?

This morning, the two girls took a particularly long path to retrieve the treemail. They made many unnecessary turns and stopped for the most mundane detours. _Look at that cool mango tree!_ They did everything they could to prolong their trip as much as possible. _Oh, isn't that a cute little rabbit over there?_ They wanted to distract themselves until their past conflict slowly eased away, vanishing from existence. _That was a wicked sunrise this morning!_ Before they knew it, Mai and Kari were talking noisily in the forest, fully immersed in their many excitable conversations. The earlier silence was now replaced by their noisy chattering. And although Kari enjoyed that previous moment of silence, she much preferred to hear the loud and boisterous voice of her best friend again.

"You should have told me you were switching votes last night." Mai said all of a sudden, just when the two of them were comfortable enough with each other again. She frowned a little. "I don't mind voting out Bulma. You just had to tell me and I would've done it. There was no need for a tie."

"I'm sorry. I…I didn't know how to tell you." Kari admitted.

"It's okay. You put me in a really tough spot, but it's okay. I'll get over it." Mai sighed heavily.

Even though they were friends again, Mai just had to bring up the subject of the last tribal council. Because no, she was actually _not_ okay with it. In fact, she was extremely aggravated with the outcome yesterday. Mai did not see it coming at all. Roy wasn't supposed to be in the final three. That pesky troublemaker was supposed to be gone. It was supposed to be girl power to the end. But for some reason, Kari decided to lie and embarrass Mai in front of everybody at tribal council. She put Mai in a very difficult position, especially right after the blonde promised a secret final two deal with Bulma. Now, Mai was unwillingly forced to betray yet another jury member, which was the one thing she worked so hard to avoid. Not to mention, her once perfect tribal council record was now tainted. That was supposed to be Mai's key selling point at the final two!

In short, Kari messed up last night. She screwed up Mai's perfectly laid out plans in the final two. And the blonde would be lying if she didn't admit that she was a little pissed off at her so-called _friend_.

"We…we're still _okay_, right?" Kari asked in alarm. She sounded somewhat nervous.

"Kari, we were supposed to be a team." Mai sighed again. Her demeanour was suddenly colder and more distant. She did not make any eye contact with Kari as she spoke. "Now, I don't know what we are anymore. I don't know where you stand with me, and I don't know where I stand with you."

"I'm standing by you one hundred percent!" Kari argued.

"How do I know that? I mean, we're still friends, but your actions in the past few days seem a little contrary…" Mai shot her a doubtful look. No, it was more than just a look of doubt. That look also contained some _disapproval_. As if she was disappointed in Kari for betraying her trust. Mai was obviously not pleased.

All of a sudden, the red flags rose up in Kari's head. Uh oh. She knew she was in trouble. All along, she just assumed that she and Mai were a sure thing to the end. Even their petty argument wouldn't affect their trust in each other, or so she thought. But these past few days had changed their relationship drastically, in more ways than Kari could ever imagine. It was because the young DigiDestined played the rebellious card one too many times. She voted alongside with Shannon. She even turned the tides at the last tribal council. What was supposed to be her acts of defiance were now interpreted as acts of disloyalty. Kari wasn't always there for Mai, so why should she expect the relationship to be reciprocal? After all, Kari had let down her friend when Mai needed her trust the most.

And now, a desperate Kari – who was almost certain that she won't win the last immunity challenge – realized that she couldn't depend on Mai being there for her in the final and most crucial moment of this game.

_**Mai:**_ _Kari and I have gone through a lot, but you know, she…she made some really questionable moves in these past few days. I mean, I risked my neck just so we could be in the final two, but she seems to be doing everything to prevent that from happening. She even kept Roy around in the final three, knowing that he's a very tough competitor and is the likely favourite to win the final immunity. I give up. I don't know what that girl is thinking most of the time. Is she really playing the game? Or did she make it to this point based on a total fluke?_

The blonde wore a distrustful expression on her face. It reflected her feelings on Kari at the moment.

_**Mai:**_ _How much can I trust her? I don't know. On one hand, I'm glad that we're talking again. Then again, I know I'll never be able to trust her completely. She's a nice girl and all, but she's also a bit…eh, I don't want to say it. Perhaps she's a bit…a bit unreliable. Sometimes, it seems like I'm more of an ally to her than she is to me. And I'm sorry for saying this, but I think it's over. Nice Mai is over. From now on, it's every man and woman for themselves. If Kari wants to make it to the final two so badly, she can't count on me._

- - -

Against all odds, Roy Mustang was still playing _Survivor: Konoha_ on the morning of Day 38. He couldn't believe it himself. He had to pinch his cheek just to make sure he wasn't living in a dream. How on earth did he not get voted out last night? Or the night before that? During these past few tribal councils, it seemed his name would always come up, yet the players could never get rid of him. With all due respect, Roy thought he was a certified goner after he turned against his alliance some time ago. Every morning since then, he felt as if he was living on borrowed time, totally suspended with shock and disbelief. How was he still here?

_What is wrong with these people!?_ Roy thought to himself, chuckling silently.

Roy made it known from the beginning that he was bad business. He was a flirtatious charmer, hardcore strategist, and mastermind manipulator all rolled up into one. By all means, these players should have eliminated such a big threat as soon as the merge arrived. Yet, despite numerous attempts to overthrow him, he somehow remained in the game on the penultimate day. He was in the final three.

"And now I'm _screwed_. I made it this far and I have screwed myself in the worst possible way." Roy joked playfully to the cameras. "Because I promised everyone that I'll throw the final immunity challenge."

He only made such a bold promise because he never thought that scenario would happen. At that point, he would say anything – no matter how preposterous it might sound – to buy himself a few more days in the game. He was in a desperate position. And desperate players could make some desperate promises. Promises that Roy might not be able to keep. He never thought he would make it to the final three under his circumstances, but now that he actually did, it seemed like such a waste to throw everything away for third place. He fought through hell to make it to this point. How could he possibly step down at the most crucial moment?

Mai was right about him. He was indeed full of shit.

Roy will worry about the consequences of a broken promise when the time actually comes. For now, however, he just wanted to celebrate the fact that he made it this far. It would have to be a celebration of one, since Mai and Kari disappeared from camp early this morning. And that was just as well, because they weren't present when Iruka made a surprise visit this morning. The host was carrying a picnic basket in his hands.

"Hello." Iruka grinned at the sole member present at camp. "I brought a special present for the Sarutobi tribe."

"And it's all mine!" Roy rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"This picnic is for you to share with _everyone_." Iruka scolded him a little. He almost didn't want to hand the basket over to Roy until the colonel reassured him that he was only joking. "After you finished this meal, I want to meet the three of you for your final immunity challenge."

"Hey, I've an idea. Why don't you join us for the picnic? I'm sure the girls will love your company. And since they haven't come back yet, I don't want to eat the food by myself..." Roy suggested.

"I can't possibly take any of your food when you've all been eating so little." Iruka politely declined the offer.

"Come on! We want to know you a little better, you big stud!" Roy nudged him with his elbow.

"Oh god, Roy Mustang! Get a hold of yourself! Hitting on Iruka won't win you the million dollars!" Mai's voice suddenly exclaimed out of nowhere. Roy and Iruka both turned around at once. There she was, emerging from the forest with Kari trailing behind her. Both of them were giggling as they approached the men. Now everybody was here. "No offence, of course. We all know that Iruka is cute as hell." She eyed the host with a seductive look in her eyes. "Has anyone told you before that you're a very handsome guy?"

"Iruka is one hot man." Roy agreed, nodding his head in full acknowledgement.

"Hot like _fire_!" Mai added, while playfully fanning herself with her hand.

"Stop it, you two!" Kari said in between her uncontrollable giggles.

"Anyway, there's more than just food in that picnic basket." Iruka, who was blushing madly from the insincere flattery, changed the subject at hand. For somebody who was so modest all of the time, it seemed amazing that he didn't collapse from embarrassment on the spot. "Open it, Roy. We added something unique this time. I think you might like what you see."

Curious, Roy peeked inside the picnic basket to see what other treasures it contained. Among the delicious sandwiches and buffalo wings, he also saw a rectangular book that seemed out of place in a typical picnic package. It was only when he pulled out the mysterious item and revealed in plain sight before the players realize this was no ordinary book. A huge grin spread across Roy's face instantly. This was a photo album, and he already recognized several familiar faces on the first page.

_**Roy:**_ _Wow. What a pleasant surprise. The three of us expected there to be a feast today more or less, but the family album was a nice additional touch. As we flipped through the pages, we saw all these pictures of our friends and families in the most casual settings, doing the most mundane things. They looked so…ordinary, yet so special at the same time. I was actually a little sentimental because I haven't seen these people for a while now. In fact, I know somebody who's really into photo albums, and I…I saw his face in a couple of these pictures. That was a special moment for me. I don't know how to describe it, but I felt really happy and really sad at the same time._

In a rare moment, Roy sounded a bit choked up as he was recording this video confessional. He held a hand over his face, hiding a glum expression. The colonel didn't say anything to the camera until he regained his composure some time later.

_**Roy:**_ _Seeing these photos made us all realize how far we've come in our journeys. It reiterated to me, especially, why I need to win the one million dollars. The photo album was just the right kind of motivation that I needed at this stage of the game. If there's any doubt that I have to win the final immunity challenge today, it's gone. My drive is back. There's no way I'll step down when I'm so close to the million. Not when there're people who are rooting for me to win this money back at home._

The three players set up their picnic by the waterfall, predictably enough. It was the appropriate setting where they can enjoy the food and the pictures in a serene, almost surreal, atmosphere. What was supposed to be a very tense day for all of them ended up being rather laidback and casual. The photo album just had the calming effect on the players. They went through each page and reminiscence over the pictures of their friends and families. With every photo, there was a story to tell – a cherished memory, a fond experience, or a special somebody they held close to their hearts. Sometimes, there was laughter. Other times, there were long periods of silence. Whatever the case was, it brought the final three closer as a group.

"Wow, this is so cool!" Kari exclaimed, while pointing at a photo of Mai posing on the Great Wall of China. She looked up at her friend, beaming. "You travel a lot!"

"Yeah, if I win the million, I plan to travel around the world for a few years." Mai grinned.

"Then, don't forget to send us postcards after you win." Roy said jokingly.

"Nah, I won't win the million dollars." Mai laughed, in a rare demonstration of modesty. She shook her head, almost as if she was certain that her victory was impossible. "But I will _earn_ it. Some way, somehow."

"We believe in you." Kari nodded her head.

_**Roy:**_ _The family album is a blessing, but it's also a curse in many ways. For me, I saw these pictures as hindrances because they humanized my competitors. Throughout this game, I was happy to vote out people without ever thinking that I've crushed their dreams of winning the million. Now, it's different. Now, I realize that every one of us wanted to gain something from this experience. It gets a little harder to vote out someone after you visualized the friends and families that have so much meaning in their lives. It really messes up my win-it-for-myself mentality. In order to achieve my personal goals, I have to sacrifice the happiness of fifteen other people. I can't believe I'm only acknowledging this now, but only one of us can win the game. And I think it's very cruel that the other losers end up with nothing but the crushing feeling of defeat…_

- - -

Halfway into their picnic, Mai noticed something strange about her serene surroundings. For starters, there were more _Survivor_ production crew members than the usual amount, and some of them appeared to be swimming towards the waterfall with their equipment. By the time they set up three cylinder pillars in the water, it became clear to Mai what the sudden commotion was all about.

"Check it out. They're preparing for our final challenge." Mai nudged Kari in the shoulder. "I guess we have to stand underneath the waterfall or something."

"Yikes. That looks tiring already." Roy winced a little.

"Guy used to do this." Kari smiled. She clarified her statement when the other two had no idea what she was talking about. "He used to meditate under the waterfall for hours. He said it was a good way to collect his thoughts."

"That's another reason why I'm glad we voted him out!" Mai laughed.

Iruka arrived to meet the players as soon as they were finished with their picnic. Now, it was time for the final immunity challenge. Any sympathy Roy felt about his opponents earlier was forgotten immediately. He didn't suffer for thirty eight days just so he could give away the million dollars to another player. Looking back, it seemed ridiculous that he would even consider throwing the final immunity challenge. Although he would look like a liar for breaking his promise, Roy was willing to play a little dirty. As long as he won immunity today, he will have a guaranteed spot in the final two. He'll worry about the potential consequences later.

"Welcome to your final immunity challenge." Iruka declared.

Kari nervously returned the immunity headband. She feared that she won't get to hold this item ever again. Her last win almost seemed like a fluke. Today, she was competing against two people who were much bigger and stronger than her. While Kari believed she had as much willpower as anyone, she also knew there were other skills involved in an endurance challenge – upper body strength, lower body strength, dexterity, flexibility, and most importantly, _luck_. Kari usually didn't have a lot of luck in these challenges. She had little confidence that today will be any different.

"For the last time ever, immunity is back up for grabs." Iruka smiled. "As you may have guessed, today's challenge will test your endurance. How much do you want to win immunity?" His smile grew wider. "Each of you will stand on an individual pillar underneath the waterfall. If you fall off, you're out of the challenge. The last person standing wins immunity and will cast the deciding vote at tribal council."

Mai closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If there was a challenge she needed to win, it was this one. This was the most crucial immunity ever. She felt a little nervous, but also excited at the same time. The competitive fire within her was glowing as brightly as ever. She was determined to win this challenge. She was determined to make it to the final two no matter what.

"Hey Roy, aren't you forgetting something?" Mai cast an expectant glance at the colonel. "You're going to step down from the challenge, right? You promised."

"I changed my mind." Roy replied coolly.

"I believe your exact words were…" Mai cleared her throat and imitated Roy's voice. "I promise I will step down at the final challenge no matter what it is." She chuckled a little. "Well, step down now. If you're man enough to keep your promises, that is."

"No, thank you." Roy shook his head.

"Mister, you got some e'splainin' to do!" Mai teased him.

"I'll explain everything at tribal council, hopefully with the immunity headband in my possession." Roy smirked, calling her bluff. They locked eyes with each other. Game on. "Besides, you won't be satisfied if I just handed you the win. Where's the fun in that?"

Mai just grinned and shrugged her shoulders. Oh well. It was worth a shot. She knew all along that greedy man wouldn't step down at the final challenge.

After drawing for spots, the three castaways swam to the waterfall and climbed onto their assigned pillars. Roy got a bit frustrated that he could barely fit both his feet on the narrow surface, whereas the petite Kari had some space to move her feet around ("you know what they say about guys with big hands and feet?" Mai joked, although she had fairly limited moving space as well). This was troublesome because Roy was forced to stand still on the spot. A fidget, a twitch, or a slight movement could cause him to lose his balance and fall off the pillar.

Of course, it was difficult for anyone to stay still when a large torrent of water was constantly poured over their bodies. Imagine standing in a heavy rainstorm with no umbrella, except the sensation was a hundred times worse. The water came crashing down rapidly and even painfully. After ten seconds or so, Kari already felt exhausted. She felt as if someone was throwing hard punches to her body in all directions, especially on her head and shoulders, which suffered the most damage. And worst of all, the challenge had not started yet.

"Is everyone ready? Okay! Good luck!" Iruka gave the signal for the challenge to commence. "The final immunity challenge is officially in progress!"

It took a while for the players to adapt to their new environment. Unlike Guy, they didn't have bodies of steel, nor were any of them accustomed to standing under such a large body of water. After only thirty seconds, Kari was hurting. Really badly. She made the mistake of looking up for a brief second and almost suffocated herself with water. She choked so much that even the other players were getting worried about her. A few moments later, she reassured everyone that she was alright, if a little embarrassed. She can't believe her body was so fragile that she would be struggling this much already.

Out of the three players, Mai was the first to develop an effective coping strategy. She found it easy to concentrate in the challenge with her eyes closed, her head down, and her mind completely blank. She did not think about what she'd do if she lost the challenge. She did not think about what she'd do if she _won_ the challenge either. She did not think, period. Roy, however, did the exact opposite. If he focused his thoughts on his friends and family, then his memories could distract him from his current situation in a positive way. Seeing those pictures in the photo album really motivated him to do well in the challenge. As long as he kept thinking about the people most important to him, and the fact that they were all rooting for him to win, Roy knew he could last in the challenge for an eternity.

- - -

Fourteen minutes later, Kari found herself swimming back to shore, where Iruka handed her a towel as well as a warm cup of tea.

"What happened?" Iruka asked out of curiosity.

"I slipped." Kari gave a curt reply, almost uncharacteristically so. She sounded very disappointed in herself.

It had been a careless mistake. When adjusting her feet to get a more comfortable posture, Kari didn't take into consideration that the surface was wet and thus slippery. As a result, moving her right foot forward caused her to slip on the surface and her entire body to fall backwards into the water. After a mere quarter of an hour, she was eliminated from the challenge. Less than fifteen minutes in fact – it might be a new record. With a million dollars at stake, this was the best effort Kari could put forth to win the challenge. No wonder she was so disappointed in herself.

Now, it was just Mai and Roy left on the pillars, standing side by side next to each other. They didn't speak. They didn't move. They didn't even look at each other. Meanwhile, Kari sat down on the grass and watched the challenge unfold as a powerless spectator. Her fate was in the hands of another player. All she could do now was cross her fingers and hope for the best outcome to happen.

"Who do you think will win?" Iruka sat next to the young girl. Drenched from head to toe, she was still drying her hair with the towel. "And who do you want to win?"

"That was a really harsh challenge. Water was running down my nose and going into my ears. I mean, it looks easy watching from here. But out there, it was really uncomfortable. So, I don't know. Whoever can endure the pain the longest will win." Kari stared at the two distant figures on the pillars. "Roy is in the military. He went through some harsh conditions before. I think he might have the upper hand in the long run."

She paused with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"But don't count Mai out yet. She's made out of tough stuff too. And I can tell she really wants to win this," said Kari.

"Who do _you_ want to win the challenge?" Iruka asked.

"Definitely Mai. I always wanted to go to the final two with her, but I don't know if she feels the same way." Kari frowned a little. "We aren't as close as before. Plans might have changed from Mai's perspective."

That was just a more diplomatic way to phrase that Kari might join the jury tonight because Mai betrayed her. It wouldn't be a big surprise. It certainly wouldn't be the first time Mai backstabbed an ally. In fact, the blonde broke promises with almost every juror so far, except perhaps Faye. Kari had been warned multiple times before that Mai was not a trustworthy ally. She may find out soon if such rumours were true.

"I'm just really upset that I let myself down at the most crucial moment." Kari muttered quietly. She concealed her face behind the towel. "I should have tried harder. Or at least I should have lasted longer. I really wanted to prove to everyone that I'm capable by winning the challenge. But fifteen minutes…just isn't that impressive." She lowered her head in shame. "Yeah, I'm a bit of a joke."

Iruka offered her a sympathetic smile, but said nothing more. He had to remain partial as the host, even though it pained him to watch one of his favourite players act so devastated. However, she would be even more upset if she looked up right now and saw what was happening between Mai and Roy.

Because they were talking.

And one of them was about to sell Kari down the river.

- - -

Roy knew how to make the best out of an opportunity when he saw one. With Kari easily gone from the picture, he now had plenty of time and space to negotiate with Mai. They stood at the waterfall by themselves with nobody to interfere. The two of them could do or say whatever as they pleased. Roy couldn't tell if Mai was tired enough or desperate enough to make a deal with him yet. This, however, was not a pleasant challenge, and he had no desire to prolong their suffering if unnecessary. So, Roy cut straight to the chase. As soon as Kari was out of earshot, he tailored a special offer to Mai.

"Drop out!" Roy realized that he had to shout in order for Mai to hear what he was saying. It was difficult to communicate over the noise of the waterfall. "If you want to go to the final two with me, I'll take you! Drop out now!"

Mai just scoffed. How dare he insult her intelligence like this! Did he think she'd forget about his little stunt at the start of the challenge? Soon, everyone in the game will discover how much Roy values his so-called promises. He didn't drop out of the challenge when she asked him to, so she sure as hell won't drop out in the reversed scenario.

"Get real, Mustang." Mai muttered under her breath.

_**Mai:**_ _I may not always have been a good daughter, but my mother did not raise a stupid girl. She would have slapped me silly and called me a moron if I took Roy's offer then. That man cannot be trusted. He's even more untrustworthy than me. At least I don't tell blatant lies in front of everyone at tribal council. Anyway, his deal might have worked on the other chumps, but I know his tricks too well. Roy Mustang doesn't play fairly, and neither do I._

Ignoring him, Mai returned to her previous strategy and cleared her mind from any distracting thoughts. This proved to be difficult when Roy, who assumed that she didn't hear him the first time, continued to yell "drop out!" over and over again. She tried to block out his voice, but he was too persistent and perhaps too annoying. He was making her lose concentration. After a while, Mai finally had enough, so she replied back.

"Shut up, Roy! I'm not going to do it!" Mai shouted back.

"Don't you want to go to the final two!? If you drop out now, I guarantee you that I'll bring you to the finals!" Roy exclaimed.

Mai scoffed again. Following that logic, she saw no reason why she'd drop out of the challenge. Scenario one, Roy doesn't keep his promise and she will regret over this decision for the rest of her life. Scenario two, Roy will take her to the final two regardless of the deal. He probably preferred her as a final two partner over the meek but likable Kari. If that was the case, Mai thought it seemed infinitely less risky if she remained in the challenge and tried to win immunity herself. Besides, she was far too paranoid to allow another player control her fate. It was the reason why Mai refused to draw a purple rock for Bulma. She might be bold and outrageous, but Mai Valentine was not a gambler. When the decision could cost her potentially one million dollars, she tended to play on the safe side.

"Why should I trust you!? You're a liar!" Mai shouted.

"I swear on my _life_ that I'll keep this promise!" Roy pleaded. He was getting a bit desperate himself. "Please, Mai, please!"

"What about Kari!?" Mai asked.

"She played this game like she was happy with third place!" Roy replied, "Let her have it!"

Mai stuck by her convictions in the end. She just can't bring herself to fall off the pillar. No, not when she was so close to the final two and the million dollars. While she would like to believe she was doing this out of loyalty to Kari, she knew the real reason was because Roy didn't provide her with enough incentives. Protecting her allegiance with Kari was just an afterthought. After all, Mai had always been playing this game for herself, first and foremost. Roy was right in a sense. Kari should have tried harder to win this challenge if she wasn't playing for third place. Nobody should get a free pass to the final two. Kari, like everybody else, should have to earn it by herself.

When Mai didn't respond back in a while, Roy could catch a hint. She simply didn't want to drop out of the challenge yet. Oh well, at least he tried. He will just have to hang on and try to win the challenge the _fair_ way. This endurance challenge will soon become a battle of attrition, and Roy was under the belief that he would most likely win. After fighting so many wars in the past, he believed he could endure anything. Hell, he trained for years for a situation like this. In addition, he can tell from the stressful tone of Mai's voice that she was starting to feel fatigued. Her previous energy and determination were diminishing. She didn't have a lot of competitive fire left in her. Give another thirty minutes or so, she will buckle down under the pressure. All Roy had to do now was play the waiting game.

"My offer is open any time." Roy concluded, "Let me know if you're interested."

Mai only nodded her head.

- - -

Another hour passed by before Mai spoke up again. She can't believe she stood under the waterfall for almost ninety minutes now. It felt more like ninety days. She wasn't any more comfortable with the challenge than she was from the start, but at least she was getting used to her surroundings. Her problems now shifted from the mental to the physical aspects. Mai can't stop her body from shivering. The water was so damn cold. Since her one layer of clothing was fully soaked, it felt as if she wasn't wearing anything. Actually, she would have felt more comfortable dressed in her birthday suit, because being naked was at least better than having her wet clothes cling onto her body. (It was a good thing her clothes were so skimpy anyway.)

Then, there was her hair. The blonde was normally proud of her long curly locks, but they only got in the way during this challenge. She had to hold her hair back with one hand while she wiped her face with the other. She found that she couldn't even lower her head because her hair would hang down in the same direction, and it would be dripping with water. If only she had a short pixie cut like Meryl! The rest of her body did not fare any better. Mai's legs grew weaker with each passing second. It didn't help that her rather large feet could barely fit on the narrow pillar. Mai found herself wobbling a few times, only to regain her balance in the nick of time.

_I can't hold on much longer._ Mai thought to herself. _This won't do. I have to propose something._

"Hey Roy, I've an offer!" Mai exclaimed.

There was a long pause.

"I'm listening!" was Roy's delayed reply. He had been 'in the zone' for a while now, so to speak. Suddenly hearing Mai's voice brought him back to reality, even though it took a few seconds for his body and mind to coordinate correctly again.

"If _you_ jump off, _I_ will take you to the final two!" Mai shouted eagerly.

And just like that, she had more or less stabbed the knife into her friend's back. In Mai's defence, she tried her best to withhold the temptation of a final two deal with Roy. She really did want to compete and win this challenge the legitimate way. At the same time, however, she didn't believe her body could sustain much longer. Meanwhile, Roy was as stiff as a rock. She knew all along that he would be tough competition in an endurance challenge. That was why she didn't want the colonel in the final three. She only had Kari to blame for the fact that she was competing against him instead of the middle-aged Bulma.

"You're willing to vote out Kari!?" Roy asked in surprise.

"Yes!!!" Mai really wanted this challenge to end as soon as possible, preferably before she catches a cold. "Now get your ass off before I change my mind!"

Sensing some urgency in Mai's voice, Roy was pleased that he now had a bargaining chip with the blonde. She might be a tad too naïve if she thought he would jump off that easily. There had to be a catch, of course. After all, she was dealing with Roy Mustang, part-time master manipulator and full-time conniving bastard.

"Okay, I'll jump off, but under one condition!" She couldn't see him, but Roy was actually grinning at the moment. "I want you to tell Kari exactly what you just told me! I want her to know the entire truth!"

"What!?" She didn't quite understand his motive at first.

"I want Kari to know that you're willing to betray her for a million dollars!" Roy exclaimed. There goes that friendship. At the same time, he pretty much confirmed another jury vote for himself if he made it to the final two. Everyone knew that Kari was an _emotional_ player. She would never vote for Mai to win if she knew her dear friend made such a scandalous deal with the enemy.

_**Roy:**_ _Mai's true colours came out at the immunity challenge today. For a million dollars, she was willing to vote out her closest friend in the game. What a selfish woman, am I right? I wasn't surprised when she made that deal. I don't think anyone who got screwed over by her before would be surprised. Mai really would do anything to win the game. She sure is an ambitious woman, I'll give her that. But she doesn't understand that not everyone sees the game from a strategic standpoint. There are people like Kari, who won't appreciate the way Mai lied and deceived her way to the finals. That's why I want everyone to know about the deal she made. I want Mai to understand that you can't backstab so many people and expect to win a million dollars. It's just common sense._

Mai was not too happy when she learned about the new implications that Roy added to sweeten the deal on his behalf. He clearly wanted her to look as bad as possible in front of a jury, and especially in front of her best friend Kari. Why did this have to happen right after the two of them patch things up earlier today? If she accepted this deal, it could possibly tear their friendship apart forever. Kari might have forgiven her once, but not again, and definitely not for something of this latitude.

On the other hand, Mai honestly didn't believe she can win this challenge against Roy. It was one thing to be confident, but another to be completely ignorant. She tried to compete against him for almost ninety minutes now, but the outcome seemed to be inevitable. Mai thought she had only a few minutes left in her body at most. Why not secure her position in the game while she still can? She felt bad for betraying Kari, but that girl really should have tried harder to win this immunity challenge. Mai never promised her final two other than the mutual obligation from their tight friendship. A friendship that might not sustain beyond this tribal council.

"Also, I don't want to jump!" Roy's grin grew wider. Now that he had the upper hand in the negotiations, he could obviously request for more. "You jump first and I'll take you to the final two!"

"Screw you, Roy!" Mai shouted out of frustration.

"No, you wanted to screw over Kari! You can't screw both of us at once!" Roy laughed. He sounded quite pleased with himself. This was exactly what he wanted. He knew the blonde would crack sooner or later. "The deal is exactly what I asked for before! Take it or leave it!"

"Screw you!" Mai repeated angrily. She was on the verge of calling the whole deal off. If only she wasn't so physically and mentally exhausted right now. She hated to give into Roy's ridiculous demands, but she can't afford to play hardball in her current position. While Mai tried to concentrate on the challenge at hand, all of her problems and annoying quirks suddenly increased tenfold. The water was freezing! Her clothes stung like hell! And her legs felt like they were ready to break apart! No, Mai simply can't stand here much longer. She didn't want to endure another second under the waterfall.

"Well? Is that a yes or a no? I need an answer!" Roy exclaimed.

Roy leaned slightly forward to catch a better glimpse of her expression. And that was when he made a very significant mistake. He allowed his concentration to drift away. He wasn't supposed to be negotiating a deal with Mai. His main task was to stand still on a pillar – a pillar so narrow that he could fall off with simply the slightest movement. He warned himself beforehand that he couldn't move around at all. But for a moment, just a very brief moment, he lost focus. He lost his balance. And he inadvertently lost his chance to win the final immunity challenge.

Roy stumbled forward and dove right into the water.

His competitor gasped in glee.

"Mai wins immunity!" Iruka announced loud and clear. The blonde could barely react before falling off the pillar as well, but that didn't matter anymore. Roy fell first, while Mai was the last person standing. "Congratulations! You're guaranteed a spot in the final two!"

"Good job!" Kari clapped her hands together. She remained unaware about the tension that happened by the waterfall, but not for long. "You both did a great job!"

Mai was beaming with pride as she swam back to shore. Roy followed behind her, with a reasonably less enthusiastic reaction. Neither of them had won an immunity challenge before, but the former won one when it mattered the most, whereas the latter can only blame himself for suddenly losing his balance. In the end, karma came swinging at Roy when he least expected it. And he now realized he might have sealed his own fate.

Fortunately, he still had one trump card in his pocket.

"Isn't there something you want to tell Kari?" Roy glared at the victorious blonde, who was still admiring her immunity headband with the utmost joy. "Or should I do the talking instead?"

"What do you want to tell me?" Kari appeared confused.

Mai sheepishly looked up at the other players as the joyous smile disappeared from her face. She might have won immunity and a guaranteed spot in the final two, but her celebration was short-lived. She was now responsible for choosing a final two partner tonight, and her options ranged between an angry loser and a possibly angrier ex-friend.

- - -

Tribal council couldn't come at a better time. After a change of clothes and another quick meal, the three players immediately headed for tribal council. Since only one person will vote tonight, there wasn't a lot of behind-the-scenes scheming unlike a typical tribal council night. However, that did not imply there won't be any heated exchanges at tribal council. Roy was certain there will be a lot of dramatic fireworks tonight. In fact, he will make that his top priority.

"I'll now bring in the members of our jury." Iruka announced.

The six jurors entered tribal council with solemn expressions. None of them looked too happy that Mai won immunity. The only exception was Holland, who showed a tiny smirk on his face. _There you go._ He nodded approvingly at her. _Good girl._ He always knew that woman was as tough as nails. And now that she was guaranteed to be in the final two, he might as well hand over his jury vote to her. There was no way Holland would vote for Kari or Roy to win the game unless under the most dire circumstances. He definitely did not want to see either of them to win over Mai.

"Welcome to your penultimate tribal council. Since Mai has immunity, she's the only one who will vote tonight. But first, I'd like to ask you a few questions." Iruka smiled gently at the three players. "Let's start with the immunity challenge. It didn't last very long, for one thing. Mai, you stood under the waterfall for an hour and twenty two minutes. Your reward was the immunity headband. How does it feel to win?"

"I'm really proud of myself, because that was a really difficult challenge today. I mean, I'm still trembling from the cold!" Mai laughed. She folded her arms across her chest. "On the first day, a lot of people would have never guessed that I'd win the final challenge, myself included. So, I'm glad that I exceeded my expectations and proved some people wrong."

"Why do you think you won today?" Iruka asked.

"I have lots and lots of determination." Mai said this with much confidence in her voice. "Everyone knows that I'm not the strongest person. I'm not even the smartest here. I'm just an ordinary girl with a lot of persistence and a small dash of good luck." She smiled at Iruka first, and then shifted her attention to the jurors. "I won the challenge today because I wanted to win the most. Out of everyone here, I'd say I'm the most ambitious player. I have the most drive."

"Kari, you were the first out in the challenge. You fell off after fifteen minutes or so, which is at least an hour less than the other two players." Iruka glanced at a troubled looking Kari. Losing the challenge was not her highlight of the day. "After hearing what Mai just said, does it mean you've the least determination out of everyone?"

"I don't think it's fair to judge my determination based on how well I do in a challenge. Um, there were also other factors involved." Kari winced a little. She can see that the jurors weren't too impressed with her response. "If I didn't slip so early on, I know I would've stayed on the pillar for a very long time. It was an accident. I lost due to an accident, and not because I don't have any determination."

_Excuses, excuses._ Harley just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Iruka, can I say something?" Roy raised his arm in the air. He was getting a bit impatient that Iruka still had not asked him any questions yet.

"Go ahead. I was just about to get to you." Iruka gestured his hand at him.

"Mai made a promise with me at the immunity challenge today. She said she'd take me to the final two if I jumped off my pillar, said Roy.

"You lost your balance and fell off. It was an accident. You wanted me to jump instead." Mai shook her head.

"The important point is, and this came out of your own mouth, you said you'd vote out Kari tonight and take me to the final two." Roy shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Mai, if you don't honour your promise, I want the entire jury to know that you are a _liar_."

Mai was still shaking her head, either in denial or to demonstrate discontent.

"And you're a big fat hypocrite!" Mai snapped, "Are we ignoring the elephant in the room here? Roy, you told everyone that you'd step down at the final immunity challenge. And guess what? That didn't happen! You broke your promise and participated anyway! How dare you accuse me of being a liar!?"

"I did step down from the challenge in the end, didn't I? I'm not wearing the immunity headband right now, am I? I don't recall ever mentioning that I can't _compete_ in the challenge and try to _negotiate_ a deal. All I said was I won't win the final immunity, and you're right, that didn't happen!" Roy replied.

"Now you're just rewriting history." Mai scoffed.

By now, everyone noticed the obvious tension between Mai and Roy. If they thought their relationship hit the rocks at the previous tribal council, they just reached a new low. These two had not met eye to eye for a while now, but tribal council really brought out the ugliness in everyone. Kari, who was caught in the middle of the argument, was wise enough to keep her head down and not say anything about the matter. Not until someone directed a question her way anyway.

"You know what, Mai? You'll have to break a promise tonight no matter what. Either you vote out Kari, the friend whom you sold out at the first opportunity, or you vote out me, the guy whom you promised to take to the final two." Roy smirked a little. "We all know you're a notorious backstabber anyway. So, do what you want."

"Thanks so much for your input, Mr. Mustang." Mai said sarcastically.

Iruka didn't know how to follow up after that argument, so he decided to get straight to the vote. Before that happened, he allowed each player to make a final statement.

"I'm a bit surprised to hear what you did, Mai." Kari paused. She had to phrase her sentences carefully so she didn't offend Mai too much. "Um, I would have never betrayed you if I was in your position. I thought we were in this together until the end. I've always trusted you." She paused again. "I never wrote your name down before, so I hope you'll do the same for me. But no matter what happens tonight, we'll definitely still be friends."

Roy's message was short and to the point.

"You promised." Roy glared at the blonde. As an afterthought, he added, "Think about the jury."

Finally, Mai was given one last opportunity to explain the reasoning behind her vote. She stood up and addressed her speech to both Kari and Roy.

"This isn't an easy vote for me because I don't like to break promises. But for some reason, I always find myself in this position." Mai smiled nervously. Neither Kari nor Roy was smiling back. "Like I said before, I love winning. So, I'll cast my vote tonight based on whom I have a better chance against in the final two." She turned around to address the jury briefly. "That's not to say I'll win against this person for sure, but I won't regret it if I lose to this person in the final two. I'm sure you all know who I'm talking about." She paused, now with a wide grin on her face. It didn't suit the otherwise sombre atmosphere of tribal council. "Or do you?"

She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath.

"Yes, I admit that I made a promise with you at the challenge, Roy." Mai sighed remorsefully. This tribal council would have been a lot less tense if she didn't suggest that stupid deal under pressure. "But you can't hold me responsible if I don't keep the promise. After all, you broke your word as well. You're just as bad as I am. So, don't throw a hissy fit. That's not cool."

She now opened her eyes and stared directly at Roy.

"With that said, I was never going to honour the promise in the first place." She smirked in defiance. "I lied. I never wanted to take you to the final two. I said all that stuff at the waterfall in order to get you to jump off your pillar." She proudly raised her head. "And tonight, after I've watched you twist my words against me, I can say with confidence that I won't regret my decision at all."

Mai turned around and walked across the rope bridge to cast her vote.

After that speech, there was no doubt in anyone's mind whose name she was going to write down.

- - -

"The thirteenth person voted out of _Survivor: Konoha_, and the final member of our jury…"

Iruka pulled out the one and only parchment from the voting urn.

Kari and Roy exchanged glances with each other.

The vote was revealed.

"Roy."

He slowly nodded his head as if to accept his fate. Mai patted him on the shoulder, while Kari gave his arm a tiny affectionate squeeze. Both women genuinely liked Roy as a person. He was charming, funny, and an all around nice guy – most of the time. But in the end, he was just too much of a threat. While his strategy might be questionable at times, everyone in the jury understood that he played this game to the fullest extent. He made bold moves, he negotiated risky deals, and he crafted multiple alliances to save himself. Roy could arguably be one of the best players in the game. At least Mai thought so anyway. That was why she didn't want him anywhere near the final two. She started to plot against Roy since the final six, and it took four tribal councils to finally get rid of the smooth talker. At last, he was gone. At last, Mai emerged from tribal council victoriously.

Roy Mustang felt a little angry with the outcome, because he was so close to winning a million dollars. He was noticeably snippier at tonight's tribal council due to the sheer helplessness of his position. While he'd like to believe he had a fifty-fifty chance of surviving this vote, he knew from the bottom of his heart that Mai would never bring him to the final two. Roy put up a good fight to save himself tonight. He even tried to hold Mai accountable for a deal that never actually happened. In the end, his words were futile. She just wasn't persuaded enough.

"Roy, the tribe has spoken." Iruka quickly snuffed out the flame on his torch. "It's time for you to go."

"Good game." Roy smiled, bowing his head slightly to the two remaining women. They outsmarted, outplayed, and outlasted a strong competitor like him. Good game indeed. If he had a hat, he would have tipped it as a sign of good sportsmanship.

Roy then dragged his feet forward, somewhat reluctantly, as he began his walk of shame. Moments later, his shadowy figure blended in with the darkness surrounding him.

Soon, he disappeared from sight forever.

Or at least until tomorrow, anyway.

"Congratulations, Mai and Kari! You've made it to Day 39, but you still have one more obstacle to overcome." Iruka nodded his head at the two giddy castaways. "The jury of seven will be waiting at the final tribal council, where one of you will be a million dollars richer in twenty four hours. Get a good night of sleep. See you tomorrow."

Kari turned around and smiled gratefully at her blonde companion. Mai grinned back in acknowledgement. They will definitely celebrate tonight and even more during tomorrow. But for now, the two of them demonstrated their glee by simply holding hands. While Kari wasn't clear about what happened at the last immunity challenge, and while she wasn't certain whether or not Mai considered betraying her earlier today, none of these minor details really mattered at moment. She was in the final two, currently holding hands with her best friend in the game. Kari felt as if she already succeeded in the game regardless of the outcome tomorrow. This was her defining moment. Nobody can take it away from her.

Meanwhile, Mai felt relieved that tribal council was finally over. Yes, she might have won immunity. And yes, she might have just voted off Roy Mustang. But for some reason, the burden on her shoulders only grew heavier. She knew the game was over yet. It was far too early to celebrate. There was still one more day, one more tribal council, and one more hardship to overcome. If she thought the last immunity challenge was tough, she can expect a whole different ball game tomorrow.

Before she left tribal council, she made a quick headcount of all the jury members in the game. There was Meryl, Holland, Harley, Faye, Shannon, Bulma, and after tonight's events, Roy. She had no idea how any of them perceived her game play thus far. Would they reward her a million dollars? Mai didn't know what criteria they will evaluate her performance, nor did she know which jury members will ask her bitter questions. Overall, there were a lot of unknown elements that she cannot predict at the final tribal council. Fortunately, she can look forward to the one thing that will always be there for her.

Mai was certain that the sunrise tomorrow will be just as glorious.

- - -

_**Roy's Final Words**_

What a tremendous disappointment! I came so close to winning a million dollars, but I fell short at the last minute. For some reason, I can't win an immunity challenge to save my life, which is frustrating because the jury would likely favour me if I made it to the final two. I'm not sure if this _Survivor_ experience changed me as a person, but I learned a lot more about myself. Before I came to Konoha, I made a list of goals that I wanted to achieve during my time here. I accomplished each goal except for the biggest one. Oh well. Nobody is perfect.

- - -

**Author's Notes:** I have to divide this episode into two parts because it's way too long. I'll upload Part 2 very soon. Please leave comments in your reviews! The story is about to end! Are you as excited as I am?


	14. Episode 13: Bittersweet Victory, Part 2

**Survivor: Konoha**  
By: Gomamon

_**Last Time on Survivor:**_

_Bulma quickly joined forces with the other women to take out Roy at the final four. However, her plan backfired when Kari suddenly forced a tie. Unwilling to face a tiebreaker, Mai changed her vote and Bulma was voted off as a result. On the next day, Roy broke his earlier promise by participating in the final immunity challenge. He then tried to negotiate a final two deal with Mai, leaving Kari in the dust. Before they agreed on the conditions, he fell off his pillar by accident and granted her the victory. As tensions sparked in tribal council, Mai declared that she never intended to honour her deal with Roy in the first place. He was promptly voted off and became the last member of the jury._

_Two castaways remain. Who will be the Sole Survivor?_

**Episode Thirteen: Bittersweet Victory**

Sarutobi Tribe : **Kari** _(Digimon)_, **Mai** _(Yu-gi-oh)_

- - -

**DAY 39**

On the last day of _Survivor: Konoha_, the final two celebrated not with a feast, not with a song and dance, but with a quiet recollection of their experiences over the past thirty nine days. Mai took a stroll down the waterfall to gather her thoughts and prepare an opening speech for tonight. Meanwhile, Kari remained at camp and tended the fire. She was browsing through the photo album once again, smiling faintly at the familiar faces she recognized in the pictures. It wasn't a very exciting way to celebrate the end of their adventures, but neither woman was in a festive mood with the final tribal council looming ahead.

Mai Valentine did not know what to say in front of the jury. She struggled all morning to come up with a strong opening statement, but the best she could muster were a few incoherent sentences. While the blonde was normally an articulate speaker, the overwhelming pressure behind tonight's tribal council was getting the best of her. One wrong word could cost her a million dollars. This was especially worrying since diplomacy was not her strong suit. Mai had a bad habit of speaking whatever was on her mind, which won't translate well when pleading her case for a million dollars. She reminded herself over and over again not to lose her temper tonight, like she had done countless times in the past. She had to bite her tongue no matter how tempting it was to lash back.

"I won't be fake. I mean, I can't act like I'm sweet as pie. That's not who I am. The jury will see right through me." Mai explained to a nearby cameraperson. "But I have to be nice, or at least civil to everyone. Even the people who hate my guts. Even Faye. It's going to be tough, but I can't insult the people who might give me a million dollars, you know what I mean?"

This was more of a problem for Mai than it was for Kari. The young DigiDestined didn't have a single mean bone in her body, so she won't have to worry about offending anyone with her words. If the jury wanted to crown the most congenial winner, then she'd probably sweep all the votes with the notable exception of one. Contrary to what some players may believe, Mai didn't bring Kari to the final two because she was an easy opponent to beat. At the end of the day, most people would rather vote for a nice person to win. There was a likely possibility that Kari might receive the jury's sympathy.

While Kari was no pushover, she was still a better alternative over Roy Mustang. That guy was just trouble. In Mai's opinion, he would have been nearly impossible to beat in the final two. The smooth talker could have flirted his way to at least four jury votes, and the women weren't the only ones susceptible to his charm. Last night, Mai picked the lesser of two evils. She believed she had a better chance of winning against Kari as opposed to Roy.

Could she actually win the game? Even the normally confident Mai did not have a definite answer. She'd like to believe she had great odds even though she betrayed numerous people on the jury. In any case, she'll try her best at the final tribal council. She just won't start spending money like she already won the million dollars. Speaking of which, _how_ she will use this money was a question that crossed her mind frequently. For someone who played the game so hardcore, Mai had no idea what she wanted to do with the grand prize. Then again, she never thought it was hers in the first place. She never thought she'd come this close to winning the game.

Now, she was only four jury votes away from a million dollars.

"No pressure, right?" She grinned at the cameras.

_**Mai:**_ _Winning the money will change my life for sure, but I just don't know how. Dude, I'm only twenty four! And I'm still a little aimless about what I want to do with my life. Too many guys think I'm a concept, or I complete them, or I'm going make them alive. They think I'm this…this self-assured woman who knows what she wants, but that's not the way I see myself. I'm just a lost girl looking for her peace of mind in this messed up world. If you give me a million dollars, I won't have a clue what to do with it._

The production crew wasn't convinced. Surely, she must have thought about what she wanted to do with the million dollars at least a few times. They prodded her for a more elaborate answer until she finally gave in.

_**Mai:**_ _Hmm, if I win the money, I guess I'll do a lot of travelling. I'd like to travel around the world some day. Living in Konoha really enlightened me, because now I want to go to all these places and experience the different cultures. Expand my horizons a little, so to speak. May be I'll go on a year-long vacation afterwards. Who knows? And if I get lucky, I could hook up with some hot guy and start a holiday fling! Ooh, that sounds kind of sexy!_

She laughed, brushing a lock of blonde hair from her face. Like always, she never took her confessionals too seriously.

_**Mai:**_ _Ah, don't you worry. I won't say something this shallow in front of the jury. I know the answers they want to hear. Right now, I'm just trying to relax and put myself in a good mood. That's probably the best way to prepare for the final tribal council. Even though I'm actually shitting my pants right now, I have to act calm and composed. There's no time to fool around anymore. This is for a million bucks. I better bring out my A-game tonight!_

- - -

A couple of hours later, after making little progress with her speech, Mai decided to give her brainstorming session a rest. No more rehearsing, no more panicking. She'd just have to wing it when the time came. Sometimes, the best and most sincere speeches came straight from the heart. So, the blonde headed back to camp where she engaged in some light chit-chat with Kari. The young DigiDestined was still scanning through the photo album.

"Hey, who's that guy? He looks familiar." Mai pointed at a picture that caught her interest. In the photo, a younger looking Kari stood in between two blonde males with a concert hall as the backdrop. One of those men wore a floppy fisher hat and a glowing white smile. He was quite a 'pretty looking thing' by Mai's standards.

"TK Takaishi. He's a very good friend of mine." Kari smiled warmly. "And that's his older brother Matt."

"He's pretty handsome. And TK isn't half bad either." Mai said, grinning. A few seconds later, her eyes drifted to another photo on the same page. Her grin grew wider when she recognized another blonde, but this guy had an even more familiar face. "Hahaha, there's Joey's stupid mug. When did I take a picture with that dummy?"

"Joey was so friendly! Make sure you say hi to him for me!" Kari exclaimed.

They still had several hours before the final tribal council. Before that happened, they must first complete the obligatory rite of passage, where they will reminisce and reflect about their fourteen fallen comrades. Since there was a long day ahead of them, Kari suggested they eat a fulfilling meal before departing camp. In fact, she even volunteered to cook their last supper in Konoha.

"And I promise I won't burn the rice this time." Kari smiled weakly.

"Hey, I'm no good at cooking either. I understand your pain." Mai laughed, putting an arm over the young girl's shoulders. "Don't worry. Just find a guy who's good in the kitchen and marry him. That's my plan for the future anyway."

"Or we can find a guy whose cooking is even worse, so ours will look good in comparison!" Kari giggled.

"That works too. You think deviously." Mai grinned.

"I do not!" Kari protested by sticking out her tongue.

"You devil girl." Mai teased her companion playfully. "Remember that nickname? Bulma used to call Asuka that behind her back."

"I think she said it to Asuka's face as well." Kari added.

Like two friends sharing an inside joke with each other, Mai and Kari burst into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. What they said wasn't that funny in retrospect, but it was a special moment between them that only they could understand. The two girls always referred to each other as figurative sisters ("My sister from another mister," joked Mai), and the comparison couldn't be more apt. This was why Kari almost felt a sad to leave Konoha tomorrow, because it meant she'll be separated from all the friends she made in the game.

"Hey Mai, we'll stay in touch after this, right?" Kari asked all of a sudden.

"Of course. Whoever wins this thing has to buy the other person dinner. It'll be one pricey meal." Mai chuckled.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

- - -

Kari was ready to say farewell to Konoha, a place she called home for the past thirty nine days. It wasn't always the most pleasant environment, especially when there was a storm every other day. Nonetheless, she was thankful and truly blessed that she had the opportunity to live on this beautiful land. She'll miss the forest, and the tiny critters it contained within. She'll miss the starry skies and the morning breeze. She'll even miss the insects…well, may be not so much the annoying bug bites, but she will still cherish these memories forever.

"May be ten years from now, I'll come back to Konoha." Kari would be in her twenties by then, which made her wonder if her perspective about the location might change at that age. "I'll visit again, this time as a tourist."

She gazed lovingly at her campsite. So many memories, so little time left. Her eyes drifted towards the shelter – or what remained of it after last week's storm. She then turned towards the campfire nearby. Kari made that fire today. Who would have thought a girl like her would be capable of constructing a shelter and starting campfires? On the first day of _Survivor_, she doubted she'd even get a spark with a full box of matches. Kari admitted she was rather ignorant about the survival aspects at first. Fortunately, she was taken under the wings of Guy and Holland, both of whom taught her valuable skills to survive in the wilderness. It took her a while to become comfortable in her surroundings, but she slowly learned and improved over time.

For Kari Kamiya, _Survivor_ was more than just an epic adventure. This was her introduction to the adult world, whether it came with the good, the bad, or the downright ugly. She learned so many valuable life lessons every single day. No amount of money could replace this experience of a lifetime.

"Have you noticed a massive change in yourself since Holland was voted off?" Mai asked the petite DigiDestined.

"Yeah, I feel like he had a very…suffocating presence sometimes." Kari tried to remain as diplomatic as possible, even though the Gekko State leader was nowhere in sight. She just didn't feel comfortable talking behind people's backs. "It's a positive change. I couldn't be myself until he was gone."

It was on the final day of _Survivor_ that Kari recognized the tremendous personal growth she experienced throughout the game. No longer was she the fragile girl who couldn't contribute anything to her tribe. No longer was she the weak link who was afraid of hindering her team. No longer was she the pushover who let the other players boss her around. This was a different Kari from the one who initially entered the game. She was stronger, smarter, and definitely happier. This was a new and improved Kari, toughened by the harsh conditions she endured.

She came into this game as a naïve little girl, but she will exit it as a mature young woman wiser about life.

"Whatever that means." Kari added with a tiny giggle.

_**Kari:**_ _I like the person I've become. It's strange because I feel weaker everyday, but I'm also a stronger person at the same time. This Survivor experience taught me a lot about life, not just in the survival department, but also how to become an emotionally and mentally stronger person. For one thing, I grew a thicker skin. I used to care a lot about what people think of me. Now, I'm comfortable in my own skin. I know who I am. And that's the most important lesson I can take away from Survivor._

She flashed a confident smile at the camera.

_**Kari:**_ _After playing this game, I have so much pride in myself, because I realized everything I achieved so far is due to my own capabilities. I never thought I could start a fire, or build a shelter, or actually survive by myself. But I've really grown as a person. Now, I've a mind of my own. I can make independent decisions, I can watch out for myself. So, you know, I think I exceeded people's expectations of me. If the jury doesn't see that tonight, I'll make them see it. I'll make them respect me._

Their bags were packed. The two finalists checked to make sure they didn't leave any important belongings behind. Once they set foot away from this campsite, they were never going to come back again. Kari smiled sadly as she scanned her eyes across the barren campsite. She'd like to think she wasn't leaving Konoha as much as she was bringing this amazing experience back to home.

"Are you ready to go?" Mai asked.

"Yeah." Kari nodded once.

"Alrighty then! It's goodbye, Konoha!" Mai gave a dismissive wave to the campsite. The blonde was not a very sentimental person. "Hey, I brought some mangos with me, just in case we get hungry during the walk."

Kari smiled. She was thankful to have such a thoughtful and considerate friend, and even more grateful that they were sitting next to each other in the final two. There were some people in the rite of passage who were her friends as well. Kari couldn't wait to see them again, or at least a symbolic representation of them. She can already tell that the walk will be a highly sentimental one. It was the last time for her to look back and thank all the people who made an impact on her journey. Whether good or bad, they each shaped the game as it was now. Without these fallen comrades, _Survivor: Konoha_ wouldn't have been the same experience.

With that in mind, Kari slowly marched forward.

It was time to pay her respects.

- - -

Not long after they stepped into the forest, the two women encountered the first torch in the rite of passage. Perhaps this was a symbolic touch to show how little time Mina Aino spent in the game. The youthful teenager approached _Survivor_ cheerfully, optimistically, and perhaps too naively. For a girl who was so full of enthusiasm, she had hoped to dazzle her tribe members with her vivacious personality. Instead, she ended up feeding her tribe poisonous berries on the first day. The rest of her game went downhill from there.

"Mina seemed like a really fun girl, but she dug her own grave. She made a big mistake that she shouldn't have." Mai observed.

"They look for any reasons to get rid of someone in the first few days," added Kari.

"Contrary to what most people think, the Minaberries weren't her downfall. At least we didn't vote her out because of that." Mai said with a stiff smile. In some ways, Mina reminded her of a much younger version of herself. Once upon a time, Mai had been a perky and wide-eyed teenager as well. "When she lied about having the hidden immunity idol, that's the moment she lost our trust forever. How can we keep somebody who was so deceitful right off the bet?"

Kari nodded her head in agreement. She didn't know Mina as a person, but she still felt a strange emotional connection with the blonde. Perhaps it was because they shared similar predicaments in their tribes. Kari couldn't help but feel this would have been _her_ torch had Jiraiya lost the first immunity challenge. Thus, Mina may have unknowingly taken the fall for her instead. In any case, it couldn't have been fun to leave the game this early and miss out on an adventure of a lifetime. Nobody wanted to be the first person voted off.

_**Mina:**_ _I really wanted to play the game to the max, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. I just wished that I lasted a little longer, so I could enjoy the full Survivor experience. I bet I would've been a pretty crafty player in the long run…or may be not, considering where I am now._

- - -

Somewhere nearby, they found Keitaro's torch placed underneath a large almond tree. Neither of the women knew the significance behind the location, but it was at this place where Keitaro found the so-called hidden immunity idol. Or at least that was where the false rumours started. His tribe became so paranoid; they took a risk and tried to flush out an imaginary idol that he never possessed. They later found out it was a complete misunderstanding. Of course Keitaro didn't have the hidden immunity idol. He just had lots and lots of bad luck.

"I feel really bad that we voted Keitaro off." Kari smiled sadly. She never thought he had the idol, but she couldn't convince her tribe otherwise. This was back when Holland ran the Jiraiya tribe with an iron fist. "He was a really sweet and gentle guy. He should have lasted a lot longer."

"He wasn't that great in the challenges though." Mai noted. All she could remember about the four-eyes was how he almost lost the first immunity challenge for his tribe.

"Oh, that reminds me! Asuka used to call him 'puzzle boy' after the first challenge." Kari giggled a little. It had been so long ago that she was amazed she still remembered this mundane detail. "And then she called him 'miracle boy' after he made us a fire out of nowhere." She giggled again. "They were really good friends though. Asuka just wasn't the same since he was gone."

"He was friends with the devil girl?" Mai raised her eyebrows, looking astounded. She didn't think Asuka was capable of maintaining a positive relationship with anybody. "Man, that guy must have the patience of a saint!"

Kari giggled for a third time. She cannot wait to hear what Mai has to say when they reached Asuka's torch.

_**Keitaro:**_ _Luck wasn't on my side. I made my tribe a fire and they still voted me off! A guy like me just can't win sometimes, you know? But I didn't have a lot of game, so I probably wouldn't have lasted long anyway. When your main ally is Asuka of all people, that's when you know your days are numbered._

- - -

A bittersweet smile crossed Mai's face when they arrived at the next destination. The third torch belonged to none other than Kurz Weber, her _Survivor_ boyfriend of nine days. She didn't think about him a lot after he was voted off, but she did miss him on some occasions. He was a lively spirit who always lightened the atmosphere around camp. Yes, he could be a bit lecherous at times, but he was harmless as long as nobody took him too seriously. It was under this mindset that almost got Mai voted off. She thought she could manipulate Kurz, but he almost pulled a wool over her eyes had a little birdie not warn her ahead of time. Thanks, Roy Mustang. She still owed him one.

"Kurz was good at cuddling. I'll give him that." Mai chuckled. Despite his tragic demise, she still enjoyed some of their intimate moments together. "And he could be a pretty romantic guy if he wasn't so…so _silly_ all the time."

"He seemed like he was really outgoing. I remembered that he talked a lot." Kari vaguely recalled the chatty blonde pilot during the first few challenges.

"He talked too much for his own good." Mai added, shaking her head.

That led to his downfall in the end. Kurz said too much to the wrong people. He claimed he'd vote with the women when he did the exact opposite. Then, he told Roy some important information that could be used against him. The handsome pilot thought he was smooth enough to fool everyone with his flowery words. He was, however, bested by a rival he did not anticipate until it was too late.

_**Kurz:**_ _I've a larger than life personality, so it's hard for me to keep quiet and stay under the radar. I always feel like I've to be in the centre of attention or I'll miss out on something important. That's what kicked me in the butt. I drew too much unnecessary attention onto myself._

- - -

Neither Mai nor Kari was present at the tribal council Orihime got sent home, although they heard from gossip that it was a jaw-dropping event. Mai knew she was shocked as hell when her friend didn't show up at the challenge on the next day. By all means, Faye Valentine should have been voted off at that tribal council. If only she didn't play the hidden immunity idol. And if only Orihime didn't so generously give away the other idol to her allies. Some people always claimed she was too selfless and kind to do well in the game. After all, _Survivor_ showed no mercy to martyrs like her.

"Everyone I talked to spoke highly of Orihime. I wonder why she got voted off." Kari pondered out loud. This was yet another tribe member she did not meet.

"You can blame one person for that." Mai muttered resentfully. She, of all people, should have felt sympathetic towards Faye's predicament. Yet, she still felt spiteful that the bounty huntress sent one of her best allies home. Why did it have to be Orihime? Why couldn't she have used the hidden immunity idol on one of the guys? Preferably Roy?

"I know you were really close with her," said Kari.

Mai sighed to herself. How could anyone not like Orihime? The bubbly redhead befriended so many people during her short stay, including the occasionally moody Meryl and the perpetually grumpy Shannon. She won over the rest of the tribe at the second immunity challenge, after she selflessly swallowed another poisonous Minaberry. It was a shame that Orihime left the game so soon. Mai didn't even have a chance to say goodbye.

_**Orihime:**_ _Expect the unexpected! That's the number one lesson I learned from Survivor. Even though my stay was short, I made a lot of new friends and still had loads of fun. I'll definitely cherish the experience for the rest of my life._

- - -

Kari wore a cautious expression as she approached Asuka's torch, which stood triumphantly on a small hill. These next two torches were going to ignite some uncomfortable emotions within her. Asuka had viewed Kari as a friend, possibly her _only_ friend after Keitaro got voted off. Yet, the DigiDestined voted her off anyway, even though she had the power to alter the outcome. Worst of all, she put an enormous target on Guy's back and sent her other friend home as well. That week of _Survivor_ might have been Kari's lowest moment in the game. She thought she'd never recover from such a critical mistake.

"Asuka was a big pain in the ass." Mai said bluntly. The blonde shared none of the sentiments that Kari felt at the moment. "That brat accused me of stealing the beers and made a big fuss over nothing." She smirked a little. Ironically enough, that wouldn't be the first time she got accused of committing a crime she didn't do. "She was rude and obnoxious to everyone. Voting her off was the most satisfying tribal council ever!"

"She wasn't that bad…" Kari mumbled in defence of her friend.

"No, she was _horrible_. Good riddance to bad rubbish!" Mai scoffed.

Looking back, Asuka never stood a chance in _Survivor: Konoha_. She made herself an immediate target on the first day with her abrasive personality and negative attitude. How she survived fifteen days was beyond anybody's guess. Even though she made amends with her archenemy Bulma, she was still the obvious outsider in Jiraiya. As soon as a window of opportunity opened, they voted her off with no hesitation.

_**Asuka:**_ _I came, I played, but I did not conquer. This game was stacked against me from the start. Not only was I stuck on a tribe with people I loathe from the bottom of my heart, very few of them gave me a chance to redeem myself. Every day I spent in Jiraiya was miserable, because I was just waiting for my time to come up._

- - -

Kari's heart sank when she saw the next torch. Might Guy was her first friend in the Jiraiya tribe. He taught her so many important survival skills, not to mention he entertained her endlessly with his extravagant words and over-the-top mannerisms. Yet, Kari was the one most responsible behind his ouster. Guy crafted the perfect plan to overthrow Holland's leadership and cease control over the tribe. He had Asuka's vote. He even had Bulma's vote. It was Kari, his dear friend Kari, who let him down in the end. Afterwards, he was just counting the days to his eventual doom. At the next tribal council, he was voted off in a unanimous vote. Kari didn't even offer him a pity vote.

"Guy was quite the character. He always made me laugh when I felt depressed." Kari was getting a bit teary-eyed as she spoke. She had to pause for a moment to regain her composure. "He was strong, hardworking, and an all-around good tribe member. I feel really guilty that he didn't make the merge."

"It's not your fault." Mai put an arm over Kari's shoulders, comforting the young girl. "Looking back, you made the right decision. He would have dominated the individual competitions."

"I hated the way he got voted off with a whimper instead of a bang." Kari muttered.

Kari was too emotional to realize it now, but Mai actually made a legitimate point regarding Guy. It would have been extremely foolish to go into a merge with such an enormous physical threat. There had been so many individual challenges tailored to his strengths. Just look at the last immunity challenge – it was practically designed for him to dominate! Mai didn't have the heart to tell Kari this, but the Konoha ninja's demise was an actual blessing in disguise. Kari might not be in the final two right now if Guy was still in the game.

_**Guy:**_ _A tribe without me is like a day without sunshine. I tried playing the game to the fullest extent, but my plan backfired on me majestically. It was a sad, sad day in Konoha as the flame on my torch got extinguished. May the springtime of youth avenge my death!_

- - -

Their spirits lifted a bit when they arrived at the next destination. Both women felt oddly comfortable in the presence of Zolo's torch. It rested on the base of the mountain, which the final two had to climb in order to reach the final tribal council. Kari had nothing but praise to say about the man she knew for a few days. Even Mai admitted that her opinion of Zolo improved over time. He might be a bit rough around the edges at first, but he made a conscious attempt to adjust his personality so that he'll get along with others. Had the other swordsman not won the first individual immunity, Zolo might have lucked out and survive three more days, perhaps even more.

"Zolo was just cool." Kari said with a smile. She thought this one word described the pirate perfectly. He was a cool dude – _damn_ cool. "He looked kind of scary, but I bet he could kick some serious butt in the challenges."

"Hmph. He was alright, I suppose." Mai tried to act nonchalant.

"He was a bit of a bad boy." Kari added.

Mai pursed her lips and said nothing more. She didn't want to admit that she found the torso baring, machete yielding, and testosterone packing bad boy to be somewhat attractive. And even if she found his persona appealing, she couldn't tolerate living with him for more than three days. He just wasn't a very sensitive guy no matter how much he tried to change. He acted too macho. He had too much testosterone. He was just too much of a guy.

_**Zolo:**_ _At the start, I thought Survivor was a physical competition and the strongest guy will win this damn thing. But that's not the case at all. This is a social game. I was screwed at the merge because I didn't have time to bond with my new tribe. I'm pissed that I didn't make it any further – and just when I'm getting hang of this dumbass game. Damn!_

- - -

The walk from the seventh torch to the eighth marked the halfway point of the walk. It was during this phase the light-hearted atmosphere began to change. Sure, it seemed like fun and games when reminiscing over the first seven fallen comrades, most of whom they barely knew in the game. But the second half of the walk felt drastically different. These next seven torches once belonged to a member of the jury. A jury that will determine whom between Mai and Kari will win the million dollars. All of a sudden, this rite of passage lost its sentimental value for the final two. They now felt an overwhelming anxiety and perhaps a bit of helpless resignation. Kari found it disconcerting that she had to face these fallen comrades tonight, some of whom she voted off at one point or another. And if Kari was concerned, then Mai should feel downright petrified, because she was responsible for taking out almost every member of the jury.

"Let's hope they forgive and forget." Kari muttered nervously.

"Let's hope they forget about everything, period." Mai quipped.

A while later, the final two arrived at their next torch. Mery's torch. Mai smiled fondly in memory of her old friend. The insurance agent may have come in a small package, but she was a feisty firecracker much like the blonde herself. Perhaps this was the reason they clashed so much after the merge. If only they could have let go of their stubborn personalities and find a way to work together. Mai always felt bad for the way Meryl left the game so abruptly and so helplessly. Just when she was given a tiny glimmer of hope, it was stripped away from her at the last second. Poor Meryl Stryfe, the first blindsided member of the jury. She must have felt so humiliated on her last tribal council night.

"Even though she was dealt a bad hand for most of the game, Meryl was persistent and never gave up." Mai said, nodding her head approvingly as she spoke. That was another reason why she liked Meryl. The woman was a true _fighter_. "She wore her emotions on her sleeves, but that's what I appreciate most about her. More importantly, Meryl was a good friend. Even though I haven't always been the best friend to her."

"Well said." Kari nodded as well.

"Oh, and long live the Vixens!" Mai added, raising her arm triumphantly in the air. It was the first alliance that she joined and she was the last remaining member. May be, if the blonde was lucky, she could pull through a glorious victory for her alliance tonight.

_**Meryl:**_ _I was on the losing side from the beginning of the game. I lost challenges, I lost allies, and I even lost hope on some occasions. My Survivor experience was definitely rocky, but I became a stronger person because of it. A true survivor can persevere even at the face of adversity._

- - -

The next torch belonged to Holland. For some reason, Kari felt shivers down her spine as she approached it, which she thought was a silly reaction since it was just a stupid stick. It couldn't talk, it couldn't move, it couldn't yell at her. The young girl was more frightened about the man in possession of said torch. Everyone knew Holland Novak had a notorious bad temper. There were times when he lost his patience and snapped at people that he shouldn't have. Kari was one of them. Had he treated her more as an equal, she might have stuck by him at that tribal council. After all, she was an essentially loyal person. It was just that Holland abused her trust too many times before. After he voted off Asuka, after he voted off Guy, and after he questioned her allegiance to Jiraiya, Kari had no other choice. She needed to betray Holland in order to progress further in _Survivor_.

"Holland was a good leader." Kari said quietly.

"Not good enough, I'm afraid." Mai folded her arms across her chest. She was another person who betrayed Holland, but only because he betrayed her first. To this day, she still had not quite forgiven him for what he did. "I hate to say this, but Holland brought everything onto himself. If he didn't act like such an authority figure, he wouldn't have a big target on his back. And if he treated people with a little more respect, then may be they'd actually stay loyal to him."

"That's a bit harsh." Kari shot an uncomfortable glance at the blonde.

"It's the truth." Mai shrugged her shoulders.

Long after he was voted off, Holland still couldn't earn the respect of the woman whom he'd most likely vote to win the game. Worst of all, he didn't even know how she really felt about him. May be he just wasn't a good judge of character. May be that attributed to his downfall in the end.

_**Holland:**_ _There are some people you know you can't trust, but the most dangerous people are the ones you think you can trust. I definitely put my trust in the wrong places. Tonight, I want some honest answers from the final two. I want to know how they blindsided me, and why they did it._

- - -

Harley's torch lied horizontally on the ground, which was a little different from all the other torches so far. Then again, the flamboyant Pokemon Coordinator had always been a little different from the average person. He loved to stand out. He loved being unique. _But not this unique_, Mai reasoned as she picked up his torch from the ground. Either the wind or a small animal must have knocked it off from its original position. The blonde respected her friend too much to let his torch lie around like a piece of log. So, she erected it in an upright position.

"There we go. Now it looks better." Mai smiled.

If Harley was here, he probably wouldn't have picked up his own torch. As a notorious slacker, the Pokemon Coordinator didn't lift a finger at camp except to wipe the sweat off his forehead. He changed his old ways somewhat when it was time for the merge, mostly due to the good influence of the dashing and mysterious Shannon Casull. The merge also brought out another side to Harley. He was actually quite good at plotting and scheming in _Survivor_ when he wasn't too busy talking behind people's backs. Sociable and crafty, he could have been a real force to be reckoned with if Roy Mustang didn't have his number.

"Harley was good friends with a lot of people, but not with me for some reason. We never really clicked." Kari said, frowning a little.

"He was very colourful, and very easygoing once you get to know him," said Mai. She felt that wasn't enough to describe the Pokemon Coordinator, so she added a few more sentences. "He welcomed me with open arms when I first arrived at Jiraiya, so I feel indebted to him. Shame that he was friends with Faye. I won't say Harley was the nicest guy, but I don't think he's half bad!"

"He was a _big_ character." Kari agreed.

_**Harley:**_ _Oh, I won't lie. I'm definitely bitter that I got voted off. I'm going to give those two girls a piece of my mind at tonight's tribal council. If Mai thinks she can act buddy-buddy with me, she can think again. And if Kari thinks I'll give her coattail riding ass a million dollars, she better get a reality check!_

- - -

Neither Mai nor Kari had a lot to say about Faye. It wasn't because they were being mean-spirited. They just didn't know the bounty huntress very well, other than the fact that she had a cold and distant exterior. Faye never took the time to befriend Kari, and she held a long-lasting grudge against Mai that never got resolved. She just wasn't a very popular person with the final two. Actually, Mai had a few choice words to say about Faye once she remembered the ways Orihime and Meryl got blindsided. However, Kari wanted to keep the atmosphere pleasant, so she urged the blonde to take the high road. If they didn't have anything nice to say, then it was best to say nothing at all.

So, they literally said nothing about Faye Valentine.

Nada.

Zilch.

Zero words.

They didn't even waste their breath on her.

And after a brief moment of silence, they moved on to the next torch.

_**Faye:**_ _A lot of people don't understand me. They don't get my sense of humour and they don't see life the way I do. I had a difficult time bonding with people in Survivor. There were many times I felt alienated and almost like an alien in my tribe. I couldn't relate to these people. I was always alone in this game._

- - -

There was a lot more to say about Shannon Casull, who ironically was a man of few words. He had his faults, but both Mai and Kari appreciated his stellar work ethics. Camp life wouldn't be half as pleasant without Shannon cooking the meals, doing the laundry, collecting the firewood, among a long list of other activities that he contributed to the tribe. Not only was he a hard worker, but the swordsman was also a genuinely nice guy who tried to play an honourable game. He didn't go out of his way to deceive or betray anyone. Too bad that didn't work out for him in the long run. Thanks to Mai Valentine anyway.

"Shannon played a very passive game. He never talked about strategy unless somebody else initiated it." Mai didn't sound too impressed.

"I admire his integrity," said Kari.

"I don't." Mai deadpanned.

There was an awkward silence. It seemed like Shannon Casull was the one subject Kari and Mai could never agree on. They had differing opinions about the way he played the game. One of them thought he was a saint, and the other thought he was a stubborn mule. Kari liked how Shannon exited the game with his head held high and his dignity still intact, whereas Mai viewed him as just another loser who left with an empty wallet.

"For a guy who didn't talk much, he sure made a lot of friends, huh?" Mai laughed, trying to break the ice with a little joke. She had to compromise because she didn't want to argue with Kari again. Not on their final day together.

"I know!" Kari promptly joined in the laughter. "I thought he was a bit hard to approach at first, but he's really sensitive once he lets his guard down around you."

"He was a decent guy." Mai admitted.

_**Shannon:**_ _I was myself from day one. I never compromised my beliefs in order to progress further in this game. For me, it was difficult to live with the people who had no moral compass. It's one thing to win the game, but it's another to win with class and dignity. I much preferred to leave the game with a clean conscience than a million dollars._

- - -

The self-proclaimed dark horse of _Survivor: Konoha_ was still playing the game two days ago. Now, only her torch remained. Nobody viewed Bulma Briefs seriously as an opponent at first. She was just the annoying old lady who argued with Asuka and occasionally sat out of challenges. But as she slipped under the radar, Bulma slowly and surely wormed her way to the top. She proved her worth in challenges by winning three consecutive immunities. She also climbed the tribe hierarchy from the obvious outsider to possibly the most powerful player in her tribe. Near the end, she fell short of her ultimate goal by a few tribal councils. That was not to say she failed as a player. In fact, both Mai and Kari acknowledged her game play and gave her the much deserved respect.

"I don't know about you, but I hope I can kick ass in Survivor like Bulma when I'm at her age," said Mai.

"She's a really smart and resourceful woman." Kari agreed with a nod.

"My problem with Bulma is…well, everything she does and says feels a bit _calculated_. Even her jokes sound rehearsed sometimes." Mai made an uncertain gesture with her hand. "I dunno, may be it's just me. I'm the type of person who says whatever's on my mind, so my relationship with Bulma was kind of strained. I don't think she likes me that much." She paused for a long moment. "But I'm sure I'm in the minority here. She was pretty friendly with other people."

"Except Asuka." Kari smiled.

"Devil girl!" Mai exclaimed without missing a beat.

The two of them exchanged giddy glances with each other before bursting into giggles once again.

_**Bulma:**_ _I look forward to tribal council tonight, because I haven't made up my mind yet. Neither of the final two impressed me with their strategies so far. Kari is too wishy-washy. And Mai is just an annoying bitch. So yeah, I'm kind of neutral right now. I'll give my vote to the person who dazzles me the most with their performance._

- - -

And finally, there was Roy Mustang. His torch was located at the entrance of tribal council. It was a strange place to end the rite of passage, but it also seemed appropriate considering Roy was literally and figuratively one step away from the final tribal council. So close, but no cigar. Early in the game, Mai had thought the colonel was a dead lock for the final two. He was intelligent, charismatic, and dominant enough to succeed in _Survivor_. Then, he got a little too involved with Faye for his own good. And may be he jumped the boat too early when the merge came. He also tried to play both sides, but failed at that miserably. Most of all, what really doomed Roy was a deadly opponent called Mai Valentine.

"I like Roy, even though I know I couldn't trust him," said Kari.

"He played the game too hard sometimes. He played the people, he played the alliances, and he ended up playing himself." Mai chuckled at the irony. She wasn't mocking him as much as she was pointing out where his game went wrong. Despite their rocky relationship during these past few days, she still held some respect for him as a competitor and a tribe member. "Nobody wanted to win the game more than Roy, except the two of us."

"I think we have to thank Roy that we're here right now, because without him…" Kari didn't finish her sentence, but her intent was obvious.

"Hey, I never said I was ungrateful to the guy." Mai smiled a little. Now she remembered how close to elimination she was at that tribal council, had Roy not warn her ahead of time what her alliance wanted to do. It was the second time he saved her in the game. Thanks again, Roy Mustang. She really owed him a beer after _Survivor_ was over.

"But you're right, Mai. Nobody showed more passion for this game than him." Kari nodded her head.

_**Roy:**_ _Life is strange sometimes. Out of the sixteen players, I didn't think Mai or Kari would be in the final two. If we were taking bets, they'd have the longest odds. So, they really surprised me over these past few weeks. Both played a great game, but only one can be the Sole Survivor. Now, it's just a question of who was the better player?_

- - -

Only two torches remained at the end of the passage.

Kari took one. Mai grabbed the other.

It was time.

Kari's heart was pounding as she stood at the entrance of tribal council. The host was waiting. The jury was waiting. The whole world was waiting for her. As soon as she stepped forward, this game will turn a lot more intense. These people on the jury will show her no mercy. They won't give away a million dollars to a girl who couldn't handle the pressure. They were going to press her for honest answers. They were going to grill her with brutal questions. Some of them might even attack her with harmful insults. Kari will have to take it all in stride and still present a worthy performance to the jury. It won't be easy. And she wasn't sure if she was ready.

"I'm kind of scared." Kari whispered to her final two partner.

"Don't worry. Relax. Yep, that's right. Just relax." Mai smiled faintly at her. She grabbed the young girl's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. Even though they will be opponents in tribal council, the blonde still felt protective over her friend. "Just remember that we've made it this far already. No matter what they say, we're stronger than all their words combined. So, don't let those bastards bring you down."

Kari didn't know how nervous she felt until the crucial moment finally arrived. Fortunately, the warmth of her friend's hand helped drain the anxiety away. She took a deep breath to calm herself. Okay, it wasn't that big of a deal. This wasn't a life or death issue. It was just a million dollars. No matter what happened tonight, they will both emerge as _winners_ regardless.

"We can endure anything they throw at us. We're in this together." Mai grinned.

"Friends to the end." Kari nodded her head.

"_Best_ friends."

"Good luck, Mai."

"You too."

The two women smiled at each other for one last time.

And they marched forward to the final tribal council.

- - -

There were no blaring trumpets, dramatic cues, or drastic shifts in the atmosphere as the final two quietly entered tribal council. Iruka nodded at them with acknowledgement, but said nothing at first. His silence almost felt daunting. Without being told what to do, Mai and Kari lit their torches in the fire pit and walked over to their assigned seats. The jury had not arrived yet, but soon the benches will be filled with seven potentially bitter people. Some of them will be nicer than others. A few will take the game more personally. And one or two of them will channel the great spirit of Sue Hawk and deliver a vicious speech from hell.

For now, however, the final two enjoyed the peace and quiet while they still can.

Because tonight's festivities were about to begin.

"Welcome to your final tribal council." Iruka said in a solemn voice. Even the normally friendly host sounded a bit sterner on this special occasion. "I'll now bring in the members of our jury."

A freshly shaven Holland Novak led the pack. He looked years younger without his stubble and beard, but he still carried a very authoritative and intimidating vibe. He was followed by Harley and Faye, who each gave the final two a cocksure smirk before joining Holland on the benches. Next came Shannon, who walked in quick strides and without making any eye contact. Meryl then sat down beside the swordsman, like she had done so in the past two tribal councils. She sported a white similar dress and still rocked that characteristic pixie cut. Bulma entered afterwards in a similar black dress. Finally, rounding out the jury was Roy Mustang, who made the most noteworthy fashion statement by far.

He had shaved his head into a fierce Mohawk.

Kari and Mai immediately giggled from their seats.

"Tonight, only two of you are left. Let me first congratulate you for making it this far." Iruka flashed a gentle smile at the finalists. "However, you're about to face your most difficult challenge ever. In a few moments, the power will shift to the seven members of the jury. They've observed and judged your every move in this game. They as a group will determine which of you wins the million dollars and the coveted title of Sole Survivor."

Iruka gestured his hand towards Mai and Kari.

"We shall begin with opening statements from the final two. This is your chance to convince the jury why you deserve to win. Kari, you'll speak first."

Kari cleared her throat. Her heart was pounding at what felt like a million beats per second. For a moment, she felt so nervous that she almost couldn't speak. So, she took a deep breath to regain her composure. The more time she stalled, the less impressed the jury appeared. Holland was already shaking his head with impatience. Harley was checking his nails for comedic effect. This wasn't good. Kari didn't feel ready. But she had to speak now.

"Um, hi." Kari smiled apprehensively at the seven jurors. Very few of them smiled back at her. "As we all know, I'm the youngest and smallest player in the game. On the first day, nobody predicted that I'll be in the final two. During these past thirty nine days, I constantly battled with expectations that I'm not strong enough, I'm not smart enough, or I'm not mature enough to play this game on my own. At first, you guys might be right. I wasn't the most capable person around camp. But I still worked hard, and I always tried to improve myself. As a result, I became a more confident person on Day 39. I'm more confident in my survival skills, I'm more confident in my strategic capabilities, and I'm more confident than ever that I deserve to be the Sole Survivor."

A few jurors raised their eyebrows at that bold statement. Oh, she was _confident_ alright. They didn't expect she would say something so…uncharacteristic of her usual modest self.

"I'd like to clarify two issues that have been bothering me for a while." Kari's smile slowly faded away. It was replaced by a far more serious expression. "First of all, do you guys remember the tribal council when Asuka got voted off? That's the one where everybody thought I voted against Harley. On the contrary, I stayed loyal to my tribe, like I always said I would. Bulma, you're out of the game now, so I hope you tell everyone the truth. You cast that vote against Harley, not me. I got blamed for something I didn't do."

Kari glared at the older woman sitting across from her. The inventor just grinned and shrugged her shoulders.

"I tried to explain this to you guys, but nobody believed me. Why? Because you thought I was too young. You thought I was too stupid. You all thought I didn't know how to play the game!" Kari was actually getting angry at the moment. Thinking about this vote always infuriated her, because she ended up as the scapegoat in a big misunderstanding. "Ever since then, I knew I was on the bottom of the totem pole. Nobody in my alliance respected me. Nobody told me anything. So, I began to look for other options."

A spark of deviousness flickered across her eyes.

"This leads me to my second disclosure for the night. On Day 24, in the tribal council where Meryl got voted off, I did something nobody expected me to do. I didn't vote with the majority that night. I wrote down Roy's name instead. Yep, I was the mysterious third vote. I was the one that put doubt into the majority alliance and caused you guys to turn against each other. I was the hidden catalyst. I was the mastermind behind everything."

A few people on the jury looked stunned with her sudden revelation. Barring an unfazed Shannon, none of them had been aware that Kari cast the mysterious third vote against Roy. Even Mai seemed shocked at the news, although she didn't allow it to show in her expression. Kari voted against the majority? Really? She was gutsy enough to do it? Suddenly, the jury saw her in a new light. Suddenly, they looked at the young DigiDestined with some newfound respect.

Harley, however, just rolled his eyes. He almost wanted to laugh when she referred to herself as a 'mastermind'. Of course, he knew she was the dirty traitor from the start, but she was no mastermind behind anything. She was just a rat who turned against her alliance when it was convenient to do so.

"What happened afterwards? I made a new alliance, I had a more secure position in the tribe, and I'm now sitting here in the final two. This is not a series of lucky coincidences. I planned ahead and made this happen with my one vote. The motto I follow in life is good things happen to people who work hard to make good things happen. And that's exactly what I did in _Survivor_. I made a lot of things happen behind the scenes. You just weren't aware of my efforts until now."

She scanned the jury for their reactions, but she couldn't interpret their vague expressions. At least they didn't look bored now. She hoped she wasn't rambling too much.

"I played a quiet game on purpose. My name never came up before tribal council, because nobody thought I was a serious threat. Nobody suspected my game until I pointed it out. You thought I didn't have any game, so I turned this weakness into my advantage. You underestimated me, but I exceeded beyond your expectations. For these reasons, I deserve to be the Sole Survivor. I hope you consider me for your vote tonight." Her conclusion felt a little awkward, so she added another sentence to wrap things up neatly. "Thanks for listening to me, everyone."

Kari didn't know how the jury would respond to her opening speech, but she was pleasantly surprised to see some of them smiling by the time she was finished. Meryl, who looked very giddy all of a sudden, whispered something into Shannon's ear. Several other jurors were chatting among themselves as well. The young DigiDestined had delivered a thought provoking speech beyond what they expected from her. She was right in many ways – they really did underestimate her tonight. They thought she wouldn't be able to stammer out a coherent sentence under the pressure. Instead, she wowed them with revelations they never expected. Needless to say, the jury was very impressed.

Mai also felt impressed, and may be a little awestruck too. The final two was supposed to give an opening _statement_, but Kari seemingly recited what could be a _soliloquy_ in a Shakespearean play. That was an insightful and well-planned speech, whereas Mai only thought of a few short sentences for this occasion. Just because she didn't practise enough did not mean Kari was on the same boat. The young DigiDestined clearly prepared a winning argument ahead of time. Perhaps she even rehearsed it everyday. Mai never realized how unready she was until she saw her final two partner in game mode. Her friend almost appeared to be a completely different person.

She cast a vote against Asuka? She cast a vote against Roy?

Where did _this_ Kari come from?

- - -

"Mai, you're next." Iruka instructed.

The blonde gulped.

Time for an emergency turnaround. Time for Plan B. Time to improvise.

"I, Mai Valentine, deserve to be the Sole Survivor because I played the best game, hands down. And best of all, you all knew about it. I didn't sneak up on you like Kari did!" Mai chuckled a little, while a few people on the jury were smiling as well. "Now, I see some of you reacting to what I said like it was a joke, but it's true. I was always a prominent player in the game. I never flew below the radar. No offence to Kari, but she didn't play with a winning strategy. She hid behind other people and rode on their coattails. I, on the other hand, took many risks, made myself a target sometimes, and directly influenced what happened in tribal councils. In fact, most of you are sitting in that jury because of me!"

Several people groaned. They didn't like to be reminded why they were on the other side.

"If good things happen to people who work hard, then I believed I worked harder than Kari to make things happen. I wasn't afraid of making big moves, getting my hands dirty, or even putting a target on my back. I was a very _dominant_ player. My first kickass moment happened on Day 9, when Kurz Weber ratted me out to his sausage fest alliance. As soon as I found out about it, I used the hidden immunity idol and sent his ass home."

She paused for a brief moment to collect her thoughts. There was no rehearsed speech in her head. Mai was just making up these arguments on the spot.

"Two days later, I got screwed over by the twist. I was switched to the other tribe like a lamb to the slaughter. Yet, I didn't receive a single vote in the next two tribal councils. So, even when I wasn't in a position of power, I still managed to survive." Mai raised her head, proudly and triumphantly. "Even when Holland and Roy tried to vote me out later on, I still survived each time. I was on the verge of danger numerous times, but I always survived due to my wits, perseverance, and resourcefulness. I was always surviving in this game. My journey defined the very essence of survival."

Mai's grin grew a little tenser.

"Things got uglier after the merge, because that's when I had to vote out my friends and allies. I know I backstabbed a lot of you, but I did it out of necessity ninety nine percent of the time. You can't blame a girl for playing the game the way it was intended to be played." Mai paused. She thought her words might be more effective if she addressed each juror individually. "Meryl, I tried to save you. I really did. Plans changed at the last second and I didn't have the numbers. Harley, same reason. If I had the votes to save you, I would've done it. Sometimes, the game was out of my control. I didn't go out of my way to backstab people, I swear."

Harley nodded once in acknowledgement, whereas Meryl turned her head away. She refused to meet eyes with the blonde.

"Holland, you were going to betray me first. I found out about it. You got caught. It was the worst kept secret around camp. So, I can't feel too guilty about what happened to you. Consider it as a payback of sorts." Mai grinned defiantly. She just couldn't sugar-coat her answers even if she tried. It wasn't in her nature to give pageant-like answers. But Holland didn't mind the blunt feedback anyway. He even seemed a bit amused by her words. "Roy, I explained myself yesterday. You were a huge threat to win the game. There was no way I could let you in the final two. Shannon, exactly the same reason. You may not realize it yourself, but you were a popular guy! Both of you should take it as a compliment that I targeted you because you played the game too well. At the same time, you should recognize that I played an even better game, since I'm responsible for where you're sitting right now."

Neither man reacted to her statement, so she moved on. She didn't have a lot to say about Faye, who could possibly be the only juror she didn't betray. That left only Bulma, who sort of knew what explanation she would receive from Mai anyway.

"And Bulma, you of all people should know why I didn't face the tiebreaker." Mai smiled a little. "I may take risks, but I didn't take _stupid_ risks. I don't think it affected me that much in the long run. I accomplished what I set out to do on day one – I made it to the final night."

Mai was running out of things to say, so she decided to wrap up her speech before she lost steam. She wanted to leave a favourable impression with the jurors while she still can.

"You may have noticed that I didn't apologize to any of you. That's because I don't feel guilty about what I've done. I might not like betraying some of you, but I don't regret it for a second. Everything that I've done in the game has gotten me to where I am now: in the final two. I do apologize if I've hurt your feelings and I do apologize if I've put our friendship in jeopardy. But I'm not sorry for the way I played the game. _Survivor_ – that's the name of the game, and that's the way I played it to the fullest extent. I played to survive, whether it meant betraying a close ally or a dear friend. You should vote for me to win this game because I was not only the best player, but I also played the gutsiest game. I didn't hide behind other people, I didn't ride on coattails, and I definitely didn't conceal my strategy from everyone. I played a _damn_ consistent game and I hope you'll reward me rightfully." She grinned. "That's it. Thanks!"

Mai was just relieved that she was finished with her opening statement. She didn't crash and burn like she thought she would, which was a good sign. The jury may not have given her a standing ovation, but most of them looked pensive, so they clearly took her words into careful consideration. Mai knew her speech felt a little unpolished, especially compared to Kari's, but she thought she came up with a pretty decent counterargument in the allotted time. May be she could have added a few more details here and there, but she was satisfied nonetheless. Besides, the night was far from over. There was plenty of time for Mai to clarify her strategy to the jury. Starting from now. Starting with Meryl, to be precise.

Iruka thanked the finalists for voicing their opinions.

Now, it was the jury's turn.

"In a few moments, the jury will have a chance to address the two finalists with a comment or a question. Take your time and collect your thoughts." Iruka turned to face the seven of them. He focused on the petite insurance agent in particular. "When you're ready, Meryl, we'll begin with you."

- - -

Tonight, Meryl wore a silky white dress that accentuated her curves and did wonders to her petite figure. She wasn't used to wearing something so feminine, but Harley picked his outfit for her and she was too polite to decline his offer. She ended up loving what she wore. Her clothes were simplistic yet classy, just like Meryl herself. Besides, even Shannon gave her body a second glance before they left for tribal council. So, she thought she was in a pretty good mood tonight. Until she heard Mai's opening statement.

All that crap about not apologizing for what she did in the game? The remark really riled up Meryl more than it should have. It reopened some old wounds that had previously mended over time. Why did the blonde have to mention about backstabbing all those people for no apparent reason? Why did she have to base her entire speech on one of the most despicable aspects of her game? Why was she so proud of betraying people's trust? Meryl just couldn't understand _why_.

She wasn't a vengeful person. She had over two weeks to forgive Mai after her friend blindsided her in the worst possible way. Meryl was reasonably angry at first, but her feelings simmered over time. She knew it was just a game. And she understood her friend was forced to go along with the bandwagon. In fact, she secretly wished Mai was the one who cast that mysterious third vote against Roy. Meryl liked to see herself as an understanding person, so she didn't expect much from Mai tonight other than a simple and sincere apology. That was it. That was all she needed to say in order to win over Meryl's vote.

Instead, she gave this…this _crap_ about playing the best game because she betrayed the most people, or whatever the hell Mai meant.

Suffice to say, Meryl was not a very happy camper at the moment.

"Mai, don't you see a serious problem that you betrayed six out of seven people on the jury?" Meryl asked, glaring at the blonde directly in her eyes. She didn't wait for a reply. "Because I do. It shows me that you're a very dishonest and insincere person. I observed you from the jury for a while now, and I noticed that you never feel guilty about voting out your friends. And that really scares me a little, because I considered you a very good friend of mine and you…you betrayed me like a cold-hearted assassin."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Mai interjected.

That was the apology Meryl had been looking for, but now it wasn't enough. She wanted something more sincere from the blonde, because the word 'sorry' obviously carried no significance according to her infamous opening statement.

"No, Mai. You just said you weren't sorry about anything you did." Meryl shook her head. "See, here's the problem. How can I trust what you say now when I couldn't trust a word you said in the game? On the night I was voted off, you told me I was safe. Actually, you didn't tell me anything. I was blindsided, thanks for that by the way. You didn't even respect me enough to tell me I was going home." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "So, I want you to answer this, Mai. Please tell me how I can trust you with a million dollars when nobody could ever trust you in the game?"

Mai thought she had her friend's vote in the bag for a while now, but she began to have some second thoughts tonight. She knew Meryl long enough to understand that the petite insurance agent could be a very emotional person. Here was a woman whose sea of emotions came and passed away on a sudden whim. Meryl was in one of her funky moods at the moment, which wasn't a good sign. Mai needed to be on friendly terms with Meryl before she cast the final vote, or there may be trouble.

"First of all, I love your dress." Meryl tried to keep the atmosphere light-hearted at first.

"That's not what I asked you to tell me." Meryl shook her head again. She wasn't looking for a meaningless compliment. That trick won't work on her right now.

"Okay, that's cool too." Mai plastered a small pleasant smile on her face. She reminded herself not to snap at Meryl no matter how tempting it was to do so. "I think your request is phrased a little weirdly, because I personally see the game and the money as separate entities. They're not related at all. I can't believe I have to explain this, but I don't lie and betray people in my everyday life. This is different. _Survivor_ is just a game. Backstabbing people is what we're supposed to do, you know?" She laughed out loud. "Outside of the game, I'm a very different person. If you give me a million dollars, I won't do something…immoral with it, if that's what you're trying to imply. So, you can definitely trust me with the money."

Meryl had to think about the answer for a while, but she didn't seem convinced.

"You just said you're a different person outside of the game. Then, who is the Mai Valentine I knew _in_ the game?" Meryl asked.

"The Mai Valentine in the game is a great player, a long term strategist, and a proud Vixen," replied Mai.

"Is she a loyal friend?" Meryl narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, she is loyal to a certain extent." Mai nodded her head.

Meryl turned her head away and glanced at the other jury members. Some of them were smiling, while others were shaking their heads. The insurance agent didn't know which side she agreed with.

"Where do you draw the line, Mai? How many friends are you willing to betray in order to win a million dollars? Which is more important to you?" Meryl asked.

"Both are important, but winning the game is what I set out to do when I signed up for _Survivor_." Mai smiled sadly. She can tell this wasn't quite the answer Meryl was looking for, but it was the truth.

"You admit that you're willing to play an immoral game if that's what it takes to win?" Meryl gave her friend one last chance to clarify.

"Yes, I play _Survivor_ to win." Mai held her stance regardless.

Meryl sighed to herself. She thought the decision tonight would have been pretty straightforward. Her opinion of Mai faltered a bit, but it still wasn't enough to actually cause the blonde to lose a jury vote. However, there was another complication. To Meryl's surprise, there was a pleasant revelation at tribal council. Kari said something that had caught everybody's interest. It was something about casting a vote for Roy. The vote that everyone thought Mai cast, but it turned out to be her final two partner instead. Curiosity got the best of Meryl Stryfe. She didn't have a question planned for Kari at first; however, there was something she needed to know.

"Kari, I don't know you that well, but you seem like a nice and honest girl. Can you explain again why you voted for Roy on…uh, Day 24? I'm not sure I understand." Meryl had an intrigued look on her face.

"I voted for Roy because I wasn't happy about where I stood with my alliance. I knew that if things continued as they were at the moment, I wouldn't make it very far. Nobody would respect me. Nobody would vote for me to win." Kari replied earnestly, "My vote for Roy created some paranoia within the tribe. After you left, a lot of people started doubting each other's allegiances and, uh, they started to turn against each other. At the next tribal council, the game was turned upside down. And then, I was able to find a more comfortable position in my tribe."

"So, it was a strategic decision? Not because you didn't like Roy or anything?" Meryl asked with uncertainty.

"I really liked Roy, but that vote was based on strategy. If I didn't cast that vote, Holland would still be in power and I would've been number six or seven in the alliance," said Kari.

"Was it your best move in the game?"

"I believe so."

Meryl seemed satisfied enough with that answer. She wished the two finalists good luck and returned to the jury bench with a whole lot on her mind.

- - -

Holland didn't dress up for the occasion. He only wore a plain white t-shirt and a pair of diesel jeans, but he managed to pull off the 'casual' look quite successfully. Even though he had a very laid-back appearance, Holland's attitude resembled anything but that. One look into his piercing blue eyes and it was obvious he had some intense questions he wanted to ask the two finalists. Once again, he began the questioning with Mai.

"Mai, how much ass did you kick in _Survivor_?" Holland began with a relatively simple question.

"Yeah, I kicked a lot of asses!" Mai laughed out loud.

Okay, may be his questions weren't that intense. Then again, he tended to play favourites. It was pretty much an open secret among everybody that he preferred one finalist over the other, and the difficulty of questions will indicate this trend.

"I know you made a lot of good moves in this game, so tell me about your three most defining moments. Which three moves defined you as a player?" Holland asked.

"My best move must be the time I made an impromptu alliance and saved myself at the ninth tribal council. That move really shows off my finesse as a player, because I was able to think on the spot and react under pressure." Mai held out three fingers on her hand, and closed each one as she was listing out the points. "I'm also proud of the fact that I single-handedly orchestrated Shannon's ouster. He was the largest threat to win the game at that point, but I managed to turn the tides against him with or without Kari's help."

The blonde glanced at the young DigiDestined, who had her head down and wore a seemingly reflective expression on her face. While apologizing to her friend in her head, Mai answered the final part of Holland's question.

"Last of all, I made a great move when I took Kari to the final two with me. When you compare our strategies, I definitely have the upper hand. I didn't hide in the shadows, nor did I ride on people's coattails." Mai flashed another apologetic glance at the girl beside her. "I was never _carried_ to the final two. I earn my spot here tonight."

Holland nodded his head in approval. That had been the answer her was looking for. It also provided a suitable segue to the next part of his questioning, which was mainly aimed at Kari.

"Kari, you rode on coattails for the past thirty nine days. First, you aligned yourself with Guy, but you voted him out when it was convenient to do so. Then, you were with me, but once again you got antsy and you jumped boat. Finally, you latched onto Mai under the belief that she'll take you to the final two. Do you think this is an accurate summary of how you played the game?" Holland asked.

"I did a little more than that, but yes…I'd say it is." Kari nodded her head cautiously.

"Then, answer this. Why the hell should I vote for someone who just leeched off the success of others?" Holland folded his arms across his chest. He carried a stern and intimidating posture. "You're only in the final two because someone carried you here. You didn't earn your right to be in this tribal council, sitting across from us. Mai did a great job overcoming all those obstacles along her way. You, on the other hand, did nothing."

He didn't raise his voice or say anything particularly nasty, but there was the way he conducted himself that made Holland Novak seem more unpleasant than he actually was. May be it was that patronising tone, or perhaps it was the harsh context behind his words. Some people just did not generate a friendly vibe when they spoke.

"I definitely feel like I earned my position in the final two." Kari frowned, although she looked somewhat unsure with herself. "Um, I didn't just leech off the success of other players. I accomplished a lot on my own. And I don't think…"

"Name one thing you've accomplished that you didn't rely on other people." Holland cut her off.

"I voted for Roy." Kari replied immediately.

"That's not an accomplishment. That's just a vote in tribal council. Try again," said Holland.

"But I think it's worth mentioning what the vote accomplished in the long run. It gave me a new alliance, it took out a huge threat, and it secured my position in the game." Kari looked up at the Gekko State leader with a defiant expression. "It was like a domino effect, and it all started with my one vote. My accomplishments may be subtle, but they still existed."

"Okay, fair enough." Holland was a reasonable enough person. If she made a legitimate point, then he will listen and give credit where it was due. "I'd like you to answer my previous question. Why should I vote for someone who just rode on coattails throughout the entire game?"

Kari took a moment to collect her thoughts. She couldn't help but feel that Holland already made up his mind about each finalist beforehand, and this questioning period was just an opportunity to reaffirm his beliefs. If she didn't give the answers he wanted, he'll find another way to put words into her mouth. Take his previous question, for example. Kari already reiterated that she didn't _just_ ride on coattails. It didn't matter to him. He even included 'throughout the entire game' in his sentence for additional emphasis. Holland might as well write on his forehead that he thought Kari played a horrible game. It would save them both a whole lot of time.

"If you were in my shoes, riding on coattails was the only way I could survive. Standing out in my tribe would make me an easy target. I didn't have a lot of options." Kari shrugged.

"Are you telling me that I shouldn't vote for you?" Holland raised an eyebrow.

"No, I did not say that." Kari corrected him immediately. "You should vote for me because I knew whose coattails to ride. It's no coincidence that I aligned myself with the strongest player each time. I knew who would protect me in my tribe, and I knew when to switch sides if that person can't protect anymore. It sounds easy, but not everybody can do it well."

She paused for a moment and scanned the jury. If she had to give an example…

"Like, Harley wasn't the strongest guy either, and he kind of rode on Faye's coattails for a while, which I think led to his downfall." Kari shrugged her shoulders again. "Not every coattail rider can make it to the final two. It takes a certain amount of skill and observation to play this strategy well."

Amused with her response, Holland turned around and glanced at Harley. The Coordinator just rolled his eyes and muttered some expletives under his breath. He couldn't wait until it was his turn to deliver his speech. He almost wished Holland would shut up already. That man had his moment. Now, it was Harley's turn to hog the spotlight.

"What were your three best moves in the game?" Holland shifted his attention back onto the young girl.

"On top of what I've answered for Meryl's question, my three best moves were aligning with you, Guy, and Mai…" Kari wanted to elaborate more on her answers, but the Jiraiya leader just held up his hand and signalled her to stop there. He had heard enough.

Holland was finished with the questions. He can't say he was truly satisfied with the responses he got, but it wouldn't have made a difference in his final decision anyway. He was always going to vote for Mai Valentine, the woman he wronged the most. She played a more formidable game no matter which way Holland looked at it. As for Kari's strategy, he couldn't care less. Never did respect her, never will respect her. She was a pleasant enough girl, but she will never be a winner in his eyes.

After a nod of acknowledgment to the two finalists, Holland returned to his seat.

Harley was next.

- - -

If Kari thought the last juror might have been slightly biased, then she expected even less impartiality from the next person. Harley became friends with Mai from the moment they first met each other, whereas he and Kari got off on the wrong foot since day one. She tried countless times to befriend him, like she tried with everybody she knew, but he never opened up due to his personal vendetta against her. For a while, Kari didn't understand how much animosity he harboured against her until Bulma gossiped about it. Now, the young DigiDestined anticipated the worst part of tonight's tribal council. If she could endure his scathing insults, she thought she could survive anything.

Harley was by far the most overdressed juror of the night, covering his body with fancy accessories from head to toe. He wore sunglasses, necklaces, bracelets, and may be a little make-up because it never hurt to look good in front of the cameras. After roughing it for thirty days, he thought he deserved to pamper himself with _style_. Harley was also the fashion consultant for other jurors, who came to him for advice on their outfits. In some cases, the advice was given even if it was unwanted. He and Meryl pretty much forced Shannon to dress up tonight, and the swordsman reluctantly agreed to wear a suit to the final tribal council, but he drew the bottom line at the bowtie. The Pokemon Coordinator had a terrific time socializing with everyone at the jury lodge, so much that he almost didn't want to come to the final tribal council.

But here he was, standing in front of the final two, and he had a few choice words for each of them.

"Mai Valentine, you're a conniving woman." Harley was smiling as he said this, so the blondes knew there was no malice behind his words. "You voted me out after you promised I was safe at tribal council. I'm still pretty pissed off about it. I don't understand why you made these promises when you had zero intentions of honouring them. May be you like to hurt people's feelings for fun, who knows?"

She wanted to defend herself, but Harley held out his hand and signalled her to wait until he was finished talking.

"My biggest gripe is you had no reason to blindside me that night. I was already outnumbered. I knew I could be going home. Fine, whatever. Just vote me out." Harley's expression darkened somewhat. "Instead, you made that stupid promise. And of course I believed you. I didn't see any reason why you'd lie to me and bring up my hopes, right?" He shook his head and laughed. "Cue tribal council. I'm sitting there, with my jaw dropped wide open, as I watched my name come up again and again. I turned to you for an explanation, but you smiled at me like it wasn't your fault. At that moment, I almost wanted to bitchslap that smile off your face. You could be really annoying sometimes, you know."

Mai shrugged her shoulders. That was his opinion. She begged to differ.

"In another time, against another final two, I would've ripped you a new one. But considering who's seated next to you, I realize you're the lesser of two evils." Harley wagged his index finger at her. "So, I'm going to be the bigger person. I'll give you a second chance. If we can go back in time to that tribal council, with the knowledge of everything that happened so far, would you still have written my name down?"

"Yes, I would have written your name down. But no, I wouldn't do it with a smile on my face. I really didn't want to vote you out that night, but Roy basically threatened me unless I gave into his demands. What other choice did I have?" Mai sighed to herself. "I wouldn't have made that promise with you if I thought I was going to break it."

Harley nodded his head a few times. It wasn't the answer he had hoped for, but it felt close enough. Plus, she managed to stay true to her convictions, which was an admirable trait. Then again, it didn't take much for Harley to feel impressed. He was lenient with her because they were friends. Yes, she might have backstabbed him, but he understood her predicament. Besides, even if he didn't forgive her, he would have a difficult time voting for the _other_ girl to win.

Don't even get him started on Kari Kamiya.

He had looked forward to the tribal council when the annoying little girl received her comeuppance, but that time never came. So, Harley decided to unleash his frustrations tonight. He was going to make a _scene_. He didn't care if he came across as bitter or petty as long as he got a few things off his chest.

"Kari, Kari, Kari. Where do I even begin with you?" Harley rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "You were the useless little coattail rider who didn't start playing the game until Day 24. Hmm, does that sound familiar? Neleh Dennis called. She wants her character back."

There were a few snickers from the jury, which felt very enabling. Harley broke into an enormous grin as he continued to bash Kari some more.

"Since you're bringing up a lot of past incidents, do you remember time at tribal council when you said you had as much willpower as anyone?" Harley waited until the young girl slowly and cautiously nodded her head. "Now, do you remember your performance at the last immunity challenge? How long did you stand under that waterfall?"

"Fifteen minutes." Kari muttered, lowering her head. She knew where this question was going.

"Fifteen minutes!? My goodness, it took me at least half an hour to pick my outfit tonight! You couldn't even stand under the waterfall long enough for a million dollars. Wow." Harley scoffed. Again, there were a few people snickering on the jury. He grew even more confident. "How can you even say that you have the most willpower?"

It felt like a rhetorical question, so Kari didn't reply back at first. She thought she will get through the questions by keeping her head down and not saying much. However, Harley was waiting for an answer. He wanted her to answer this stupid question. Sighing a little, Kari tried to come up with a diplomatic response.

"I didn't know the limitations of my body." Kari mumbled.

"Fine, you're weak. I won't hold that against you. You used to sit out all the challenges for Jiraiya, so may be you're not used to competing in these things. It must have been so tiring to freeload on other people's victories. You've my deepest sympathies." Harley said sarcastically, while placing a hand over his chest to show mock concern. He quickly laughed it off. "Let's move on to another remark. Tonight, you called yourself a mastermind. I repeat, a mastermind. Kari Kamiya, a brilliant strategist and true puppetmaster of _Survivor: Konoha_. Oh, why didn't anyone ever stop her!?"

"I pulled myself out of a bad position in the game. I believe I was a mastermind behind that vote," said Kari.

"So, you genuinely believe you were the best player here?" Harley asked, making a face.

"That's not up to me to decide." Kari squirmed. It was getting more and more difficult to answer these questions diplomatically.

"Even though you pretty much sucked in all of the challenges?"

"I won immunity once."

"Even though you rode coattails all the way to the final two?"

"I already said I did more than that."

"Even though you're possibly the most annoying person on the planet?"

And then, Kari finally lost it.

Even if she had the tolerance of a saint, she could only be a human punching bag for so long.

"Harley, I don't know what problem you have with me. From my knowledge, I've done nothing to upset you this much! Whatever I did, please forgive me. I'm sorry, okay?" Kari spoke in a tense voice. There was also an ugly grimace on her face. She acted a lot differently from her usual gentle and pleasant demeanour. "If you can't forgive me, then get over it! Leave me alone!"

"Excuse me?" Harley almost did a double take.

"Get over it and leave me _fucking_ alone!" Kari shouted angrily.

If somebody was to pinpoint the part where Kari lost _Survivor: Konoha_, it could be traced back to this moment. The moment when she lost her patience and snapped at a juror at tribal council. It was probably the biggest no-no in the rulebook, but she couldn't care less at this point. She was so fed up with all these insults directed at her tonight. First Holland, and now Harley. She wouldn't mind so much if they gave her constructive criticisms, but these men only wanted to bring her down with their negative energy. The latter probably wanted to see her break down and cry. She won't give him the satisfaction. Forget Harley. He didn't matter anymore in her eyes.

There was a long period of awkward silence when nobody knew what to do. Most of them were just surprised beyond belief. They never heard Kari swear before. They never even heard her so much as to raise her voice at another person, so this came out of the left field. For the second time tonight, Kari gave these people a complete shocker at the final tribal council, albeit it wasn't the best kind. Nonetheless, the jury saw her in a brand new light. They really had to re-evaluate their perceptions of the girl they thought they knew so well.

"Well, you finally dropped the nice girl act. It must've been tough to keep up that charade for thirty nine days." Harley spoke up at last, after he recovered from the initial shock. He regained his earlier bravado and blew her an air kiss. "Say goodbye to your vote right there. Peace out!"

"I was never going to get your vote anyway." Kari muttered.

Harley just laughed. That was the first and last time he would think on the same wavelength as Kari Kamiya.

- - -

That was a tough act for Faye to follow. Everybody expected the angriest tirade to come from her, but she just wasn't in a vindictive mood right now. Not that she like the two finalists, nor did she want to give either of them a million dollars. She just lacked the energy to care about these people after the game was over. If she didn't win the game, then she didn't really care who did. Her apparent apathy was demonstrated through her attire for the final tribal council. Dressed in black from top to bottom, including her very noticeable black nail polish, Faye looked as if she was attending a funeral, which she argued wouldn't be that far from the truth.

"These people are dead to me anyway." Faye explained in a confessional before tribal council. She said this completely without humour.

The bounty huntress already made up her mind about who to vote for tonight, so asking questions was just part of the formalities. The _Survivor_ producers didn't let her stand up and sit back down again, like she had originally suggested. Faye was forced to ask the finalists a question that didn't carry any impact to her final decision.

So, why not have a little fun with it?

Of course, her idea of fun was a bit more twisted than the average person. For example, she thought Harley's rant tonight was hilarious as hell. He clearly meant no harm with his words. He was playing up to the cameras in hopes of ruffling some feathers, so it was even funnier that Kari took the bait and responded seriously. This was why Faye and Harley were best friends in the game. They both shared a very bizarre sense of humour that nobody understood.

"I'm thinking of a number between one and ten."

Iruka gave the bounty huntress a stern glance, but she didn't care. That was her question whether he liked it or not. She earned her place in the jury, so she had every liberty to make her decision based on whatever rationale. If she wanted to turn her vote into a joke, then she can do so for her own entertainment.

"My vote tonight is based on whoever picks my number, or whoever's the closest to it." Faye explained. The two finalists nodded to indicate they understood their instructions. They took this tribal council very seriously. "Kari, since I like you a little better, you can pick first. Choose a number between one and ten."

"Five." Kari said, after a moment of contemplation.

"Six." Mai declared afterwards, shrugging her shoulders. She sort of knew Faye asked this question as a joke, but she might as well maximize her chances with the guess. She could hope for a fifty-fifty chance, right?

"Oh shoot, my number was five and a half!" Faye joked. There was a spark of mischief flickering in her eyes. "Hmm, I wonder if I should round up or down…"

Grinning from ear to ear, and fully satisfied with the confused expressions on the finalists' faces, Faye Valentine returned to her seat.

- - -

Shannon Casull looked very dashing in a dark blazer and a navy blue dress shirt underneath. He didn't feel comfortable in these clothes, but everybody told him it was a drastic improvement from the way he normally dressed. He looked his age for once, and not like "somebody's great-grandfather" as Bulma had joked. Shannon admitted that he didn't put a lot of thought into his clothing choices before, mostly preferring sleeveless tees, hand-knitted sweaters, and the occasional turtleback. So, this was a refreshing change to his usual wardrobe. The swordsman had become more open-minded under the influence of his friends on the jury, although there were still many traditional values they couldn't get him to adjust.

He may have changed the clothes on his back, but Shannon did not change his beliefs on how one should play _Survivor_. Honestly and honourably, he claimed, and he also stressed the importance of staying loyal to one's commitments. It came as no surprise that he clashed with Mai's cutthroat strategy. He always knew she was an untrustworthy ally, but he never thought she would be vicious enough to backstab him in the final five. She didn't even give him a chance to win immunity. It was as if she took every measure to ensure he was sent home.

"This question is for both of you." Shannon paused, adjusting the collar on his shirt. It was the first time he wore a fancy dress shirt like this. He didn't feel comfortable leaving a few buttons undone, as his friend had insisted, exposing his bare chest to Mai's prying eyes. "Tell me about a time you stayed loyal to your alliance. Kari, you can start first."

A few people on the jury laughed. This was the type of question that only Shannon would ask. It was funny because the swordsman spoke in such a deadpan, humourless manner. It was even funnier because Mai was already squirming in her seat.

"Hi Shannon." Kari smiled. She felt a lot more comfortable around his brotherly presence. "My example would be the tribal council you got voted off. You know the situation better than I do, but that's a time I stayed loyal to you even though we didn't have the numbers."

"May I ask why?" Shannon interjected.

"We had an alliance. I didn't want to break it." Kari let her answer speak for itself.

Shannon then turned towards Mai, who had hoped for a bit more time to think about her answer. As the swordsman intended with this question, she had trouble coming up with an adequate example. She glanced up, smiling nervously. He looked patient as he waited, but the jury was already talking among themselves. There was something to be said about a finalist who couldn't answer something like this.

"I was loyal to Jiraiya at the merge. I made a commitment that I'll vote with them, which I did at the expense of betraying my former tribe." Mai replied at last.

"Why were you loyal to the Jiraiya tribe and not Tsunade?" Shannon asked.

"At that time, I felt more comfortable in their alliance than I did with you guys. Uh, in other words, I got along with them better. I had more allies there." Mai said, hoping that she could strengthen her answer with more words. "Plus, I didn't really have an alliance during my time in Tsunade. I had one with Meryl, but not with the men. So, I wouldn't even say I betrayed you guys. It's more like I _favoured_ the other tribe more."

"But you betrayed them anyway." Shannon noted. He folded his arms across his chest. "Why?"

"Because I made another alliance at that point," said Mai.

"And you betrayed that alliance as well. Why?"

Mai laughed. She thought the questions were getting more and more ridiculous. Shannon had not changed at all. He was still such a stubborn man.

"I betrayed you and Roy because I knew I couldn't win against you guys!" Mai said, throwing her arms up in the air. She thought she had already addressed this in her opening statement. Why did he have to beat a dead horse? "Look, I don't know where you're going with these questions, but here's the bottom line. I was loyal to all my alliances at one point, and I betrayed them when the time was necessary. That's all I did. I don't see anything drastically wrong with the picture. It's a game! It's called strategy!"

"We aren't pieces on a chessboard, Mai. These are people with real feelings and emotions." Shannon stared at Mai with a very serious expression. "What you're doing is not just strategy. It's…_inconsiderate_ behaviour. You never considered anybody's feelings when you told a lie or broke a promise. Playing the game isn't wrong, but I've a problem with the way you played it. If you were a little more considerate in this game, you wouldn't have a jury full of people you betrayed."

She shook her head, not because she was disagreeing with him, but she had to remind herself to _not_ lose her temper, _not_ snap at the juror, and _not_ tell him how she really felt. This was getting increasingly difficult as Shannon continued to preach. She almost wished he acted like before, back when he was less wordy and annoying.

"You may not think much about what I've said to you, but sooner or later, karma is going to catch up." Shannon warned.

"Thanks for your concern." Mai smiled tensely.

Shannon walked back to the jury bench. He was finished with his questioning. Mai felt relieved, yet a bit frustrated at the same time. May be she was her own toughest critic, but she didn't feel very satisfied with her jury performance thus far. She thought the problem rested with the jurors rather than her ability to answer the questions. They were all so bitter. No, not bitter. But they were too damn narrow-minded. Too many of them punished her for telling lies and betraying alliances. Why couldn't these people see it was just a game? Mai didn't know how many times she had to repeat this cliché tonight until they finally understood her motivations. If only they weren't stubborn, they'd see that she played the best game out of everyone.

Fortunately, the next juror was a lot more tolerant about betraying people. Bulma, a well-known mercenary in the game, knew what it was like to play dirty. And unlike many jurors, she was prepared and more than willing to vote for the person who played the _dirtiest_ game.

- - -

Most of the jurors had predetermined notions about the two finalists before going into the final tribal council. Bulma was no exception, but she told herself to keep an open mind. Just because she thought Kari had a bad strategy and Mai had a bad personality, she didn't condemn the two women without giving them an opportunity to redeem themselves. After all, everybody deserved a second chance. Bulma wouldn't be in the final four had she not been given another chance after a disastrous start. So, she decided to listen to what each finalist say first before she made her final judgment. She thought this was the fairest way to give a million dollars.

Bulma didn't care too much about awarding the best player or even the most deserving person. She will cast her vote for the finalist who impressed her the most. When the _Survivor_ producers asked her to clarify, she simplified the answer to a gut feeling. She will follow her gut as she wrote down a name tonight. It was a very vague winning requirement, but Bulma sort of enjoyed this air of mystery. She loved to keep people guessing.

"Congratulations for making it this far in the game." Bulma greeted the two finalists with a friendly smile. "Kari, I would like you to answer my question first. In your opening statement, you said you were underestimated by a lot of people. That made me curious. Can you give me a few examples about how you were underestimated, and what you did in order to overcome this problem?"

This wasn't a question that Kari anticipated, so it took her a while to come up with a potential answer.

"An obvious example happened tonight. You heard some of the questions Holland and Harley asked me. That's the kind of attitude I had to cope with every single day out here." Kari cast an uncomfortable glance at the two men on the jury. "Even now, after I explained my strategy and accomplishments, they still don't think I'm worthy enough to be in the final two. No matter what I do, it never seems to be good enough for some people."

"I'd like to hear one more example please," said Bulma.

"I'm also underestimated in the challenges. This was brought up at tonight's tribal council as well. I would like to do well in the challenges, but it's easier said than done. I'm the smallest and the youngest person here. Even when I'm trying my best, I still can't compete with some of you at your worst. I came into this game with a huge physical disadvantage and I had to fight that everyday." Kari drummed her hands on her knees. She paused and looked up at the inventor. "Would you like another example?"

"No, it's fine." Bulma shook her head. "Now, tell me how you overcame these low expectations of you."

"Um, I turned this disadvantage into a strength. I let people underestimate me on purpose, so they'll keep me longer in the game. That's why you guys voted Guy out over me. It's also why you didn't suspect that I voted for Roy, because none of you thought I was capable of playing a deceitful game." Kari smiled sheepishly. "As for the challenges, I won my first immunity a few days ago. When a challenge is suited to my strengths, such as observing and listening to people, I can do well. More importantly, I never gave up in these challenges no matter horrible I was. I always gave it my best shot. I always worked hard to make good things happen."

Bulma asked such a question because she related to Kari on a certain level, since they were both underestimated players. As the oldest castaway, she also sat out of many challenges and came across as strategically harmless. It wasn't until much later that players began to respect her as a serious competitor. Some of Kari's answers were similar to what the inventor would have said in the same position. Bulma surprisingly saw a lot of herself in the young DigiDestined. They may have been underestimated, but they overcame this hardship by playing quietly and sometimes deceptively. All things considered, Bulma was pretty satisfied with the response. Like Kari's jury performance thus far, it was a solid answer.

"Mai, I hear a lot about your strategy, but I don't feel like I know you that much as a person. Here's your chance to change my mind about you." Bulma put her hands on her hips. "If you win the million dollars, what will you do with the money? How will your life change with such a large sum of cash?"

"First and foremost, I would take my mom on a vacation." Mai replied, which immediately made the inventor smile. Bulma was a mother to two children, so she was pleased to hear such a sweet answer. She only hoped Trunks would have given the same reply. "My mom and I didn't always get along in the past twenty four years, but I really want to do something special for her if I have the money."

"You know the kind of answer a mother wants to hear." Bulma laughed.

"I would also go back to school, because this _Survivor_ experience made me a little ashamed that I don't have a college education." Mai reflected introspectively. "Hmm, may be I'll donate some money to charity. And whatever's left, I'll invest it in a few stocks or something, so that I'd be even richer!"

"Good plan. And for the second part of the question?"

"I live on my own and I travel a lot, so this money will make a big impact in my life." Mai put her hands together and placed them over her mouth. She appeared to be thinking about her answer. "I think I'll grow into a more mature person if I have a million dollars, because that's obviously a huge responsibility. You met me at a very strange time in my life. I felt a bit lost about what I wanted to do with my future, but this money could be the answer."

"The only thing better than a million dollars is _knowing_ what you can do with the million." Bulma grinned. Okay, what she said wasn't exactly true, but it sounded motivational enough. "I must admit, Mai. I wasn't the biggest fan of yours at the start. I thought you were a little stuck-up at first, but I apologize for judging you like that. You seem like a very lovely woman now."

"All is forgiven." Mai grinned back.

Overall, Bulma was impressed with the blonde's answers. She never held a high opinion of the woman, but this notion was starting to change. Mai sounded very mature and honest, which was different from how she often came across during the game. The million dollars could change her life for the better, although the same can be said about Kari as well.

When Bulma first came into this tribal council, she didn't want to vote for either of the finalists. She thought they didn't play a good enough game, or they didn't deserve to win the million dollars over a few other people. However, after these remarkable answers, Bulma now faced the opposite problem. She wanted to vote for both finalists, but she can only award her vote to one of them. The inventor still had not made up her mind yet about whom to vote for. She probably won't make her final decision until she arrived in front of the voting shrine. May be she should flip a coin at the last second. May be she should have made them choose numbers like Faye did.

Whatever decision she made tonight, Bulma only hoped it was the right one.

- - -

Finally, there was Roy Mustang. For some bizarre reason, he shaved his head into a Mohawk this morning. He told everyone he just wanted to see what he looked like with one. The entire jury burst into laughter when they first saw his appearance. Although he thought he looked pretty darn cool with his new hairdo, the other jurors didn't necessarily agree. Roy had contemplated asking Mai and Kari a silly question about his hair tonight, but ultimately decided against this idea. Not only would it clash with the serious atmosphere of tribal council, but he didn't want to make the million dollar decision based on a light-hearted joke. This final vote was no laughing matter. The jury of seven was deciding the victor, the best player, and the eventual Sole Survivor. It was a duty they must take seriously.

Still, even with a million dollars on the line, both Mai and Kari were giggling when they got a closer look at Roy's haircut.

He looked like a total dork.

"The new look suits you." Mai managed to say this with a straight face, amazingly enough. Meanwhile, Kari just covered a hand over her mouth and tried not to laugh…too much.

"Thank you." Roy also had to ignore the giggling behind his back, which came from his fellow jury members. Even people like Holland and Shannon were laughing at him. "Anyway, you two played a marvellous game. I believe you both deserve to be here on the final night. Give yourself a pat on the back if you haven't done so already."

Mai and Kari exchanged smiles with each other. This had been such an intense tribal council so far; they almost forgot how to relax. They were grateful that Roy was their last juror, because at least he will end the questioning on a positive note.

"Kari, do you believe you played a better game than Mai?" Roy asked.

"I think we both played great games." Kari replied diplomatically, as expected.

"No, you have to _really_ answer it. Don't avoid my questions like you do with Iruka's. I want honest answers from you tonight." Roy cast an apologetic glance to the host, who looked somewhat hurt. "Did you play a better game than Mai? It's a yes or no question."

After a moment of contemplation, Kari slowly nodded her head to indicate yes.

Roy then asked her to explain this answer.

"Mai has a very strong personality, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, I think she drew a lot of negative attention onto herself. That's why she was a target so many times. That's why she was always on the verge of danger, like she said in her opening statement. It worked out for her in the end, but I don't think that's a smart strategy. Nine times out of ten, a player like Mai wouldn't be in the final two." Kari pressed her lips together to form a thin smile. "I was a better player because I played a more discreet game. My name was never brought up before tribal council. I only received one vote throughout my entire stay." She held up an index finger. "Compare this to uh…Mai's record, I think the numbers lean towards my favour."

Mai was given an opportunity to defend herself.

"Receiving so many votes indicate that I made an impact in the game. People voted for me not because I had a strong personality, but because they wanted to get rid of a huge strategic threat. I actually took those votes as a compliment. And if we're comparing numbers, doesn't it mean that Kari was almost irrelevant in tribal council, since she received only one vote?" Mai shrugged her shoulders. "As for her unscientific nine times out of ten statistics, that means I overcame nearly impossible odds to make it to the final two. Of course it worked out for me in the end, because I was nothing like the other players. I had a unique strategy, unlike Kari. Anybody can ride coattails to the final two. I mean, who couldn't?"

Kari was also allowed to make a rebuttal.

"Luck played a major role in Mai's game. The fact that she faced two ties and received the most votes in another tribal council shows she isn't as good of a player as she claims. Had one person switched her vote at any time, Mai wouldn't be sitting in the final two right now." Kari paused as she nodded to herself. "I think Mai was extremely lucky to make it this far in the game."

"Likewise, Kari wouldn't be here if Jiraiya didn't win so many challenges in the beginning. She were really lucky that Guy was on her tribe." Mai said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"I wouldn't have been voted off because I was aligned with the two strongest people in my tribe," argued Kari.

"All I'm saying is if Guy was on Tsunade instead of Jiraiya from the beginning, I'm positive that Kari wouldn't have made it this far in the game." Mai shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't think it should be held against me that Guy was on my tribe!" Kari protested, "Besides, Tsunade had a lot of strong athletes as well!"

"Kari was the weakest player in the game, and she really lucked out that her tribe won so many challenges, most of which she didn't participate in." Mai said frankly.

"There we go. It's the same old argument again. See what I mean when I say people are constantly underestimating me?" Kari threw her arms up in the air.

Roy, quite unknowingly, engaged the two women in a heated debate with his simple question. He didn't anticipate this to happen at first, but the colonel was thoroughly entertained by how much they were arguing in circles. However, under Iruka's guidance, Roy stepped in and led the finalists back on track.

"I was the better player because I didn't rely on luck as much as Mai did. I never made myself a target before tribal council, and I was never one vote away from being voted off." Kari concluded, "It might be a safe and boring strategy, but I had a way better chance of making it to the final two than Mai ever did."

"Let's face it. Luck is an important element in _Survivor_. I might have gotten lucky every now and then, but there were plenty of other times when luck wasn't on my side. I was on the losing tribe from the start. And I was the one who got screwed over by the twist." Mai turned her attention to the jury. "In the end, the most important thing is _knowing_ how to make the best out of your situation. That's what I did throughout the whole game. And that's why I deserve to be the Sole Survivor."

There wasn't really anything Roy could add to that statement. The dramatic remark spoke for itself.

"No matter what happens, you both played a great game." Roy congratulated them once more before he reunited with the jury again. "Good luck, Mai and Kari. And may the best woman win tonight!"

Mai and Kari silently exchanged glances with each other. As much as they were the best of friends in _Survivor_, they could never decide among themselves who was the _better_ player.

- - -

Iruka spoke up once all seven jurors were finished with their questioning. This had been an extremely long and tiring tribal council, so he didn't want to prolong it any further. He wanted to put the two finalists out of their misery. Enough chit-chat. Let's get to the final vote already.

"Finalists, you have one last chance to give a closing statement." Iruka gestured his hand towards the final two. "Mai, please give yours first."

"Do you guys know the story about Helen of Troy? Of course you do, because I was the Helen of Konoha." Mai began her speech with a small light-hearted joke. "I certainly felt that way when the merge came, and I was caught in the middle between two tribes. Not only that, but I was responsible for the collapse of both tribes. I destroyed Tsunade _and_ Jiraiya with a single stroke of my hand. Neither tribe was intact anymore due to _my_ actions. You can definitely say I was a powerful player in the game. Everywhere I go, destruction follows. That pretty much describes my strategy. I played very destructively."

The blonde smiled a little.

"A lot of players feared me, naturally, and I was in the centre of many epic tribal councils. What makes me such a dominant force in the game is because I emerged from each battle victoriously. I was a winner every time." Mai grinned. "So, I don't just deserve to be the Sole Survivor. I _am_ the Sole Survivor."

"Kari?"

"I was the ultimate underdog from day one. Nobody expected me to win anything, let alone this whole game! So, try putting yourselves in my shoes. Imagine how you'd feel if you were made to believe that you couldn't achieve anything in this game. That's the attitude I had to cope with every single day in _Survivor_. Even tonight, I still cannot earn any respect from my peers, despite surviving thirty nine long and miserable days." Kari shook her head. "I think I really proved myself during my stay. I just hope the other people will see the same thing."

She glanced up at the jurors with a tiny smile.

"Tonight, I ask the jury to put aside their biases. I ask that they stop looking down on me like they've done for the past thirty nine days. I'm not a clueless little girl who doesn't know how to play _Survivor_. Please respect me as a competitor and award me for the excellent game I played," said Kari.

And that was it.

Lights off and curtains drawn, the final tribal council was almost over.

Starting from this moment, the game was now completely out of Mai and Kari's control. They no longer had any power or influence over the outcome. The final two can only watch and pray as each jury member arrived at the voting shrine. Everything that was supposed to happen will happen, naturally.

Iruka reminded the jury to take their responsibilities with serious consideration. Unlike other tribal councils in the past, they were voting for the person whom they want to win a million dollars the most. So, these three or four letters they wrote down could essentially change somebody's life forever.

Without any further ado, the voting process commenced.

- - -

Meryl was the first to vote. The petite insurance agent crossed the rope bridge and marched forward to the voting shrine. She picked up the ink marker, but hesitated to write down a name. She thought she made up her mind tonight, but she had some serious second thoughts as she faced the pen and parchment. Sometimes, she favoured one finalist in particular. At other times, the second candidate triumphed. In the end, Meryl just followed her heart.

Slowly, she wrote down each letter one by one. Once she was finished with the name, she held her vote in front of the camera.

The four letters spelled out Kari's name.

"Kari, you seem like a really sweet girl who defeated the odds and proved everybody wrong. I was rooting for you to win on the jury." Meryl smiled faintly. "Plus, I could relate to your ethical struggle about staying honest to yourself in the game. You backstabbed some people when it was necessary, but you didn't…relish in the fact. So, congratulations. I know you'll use the money well."

Feeling guilty, Meryl felt an obligation to address the other finalist to the camera.

"Mai, you were once my friend." Meryl's smile vanished from her face. She spoke in a very stern whisper. "But not anymore."

The harsh remark came as a surprise even to Meryl herself. She always thought she would be able to forgive the blonde and vote for her to win a million dollars. All Mai had to do was apologize, and this vote would have been signed, sealed, and delivered to her bank account. Instead, the exact opposite scenario occurred tonight. Mai not only refused to apologize, but she practically boasted about her countless betrayals every time the subject was mentioned. She clearly showed no remorse over her despicable actions. Meryl had lost interest after the first few times the blonde said it was 'just a game' and she had to betray people 'in order to survive'.

"There're a lot of ways to go to the final two in _Survivor_. You don't have to backstab every jury member to do well in this game. It's a faulty explanation you tell yourself so you won't feel guilty about betraying your friends." Meryl continued to speak directly to the camera, and indirectly to the woman she once called her a friend. "Kari managed to play an honest game and she made it to the final two. What's your excuse, Mai?"

What swayed her opinion was Kari's surprising revelation in her opening speech. She didn't just vote against Roy, but she voted _with_ Meryl at that same tribal council. Unknowingly, yes, but the petite insurance agent had been so grateful to receive a third vote at the time. She thought she had a hidden ally on her side. So, when Meryl wrote down the young girl's name on the parchment, she felt as if she was just returning the favour.

What truly cemented her decision were Kari's actions _after_ she cast that mysterious vote. She helped Shannon survive for three tribal councils, and even tried to save him a fourth time had somebody not gotten in the way. Somebody named Mai Valentine. Of course it had to be her. Who else could it be?

Kari was the guardian angel to Shannon, who was Meryl's best friend in the game. Meanwhile, Mai tried to vote out both of them. She was practically like the devil.

As soon as this comparison was made, the answer became crystal clear to Meryl. There was really no other choice.

As for Mai Valentine, she may win the million dollars in the end, but she won't win back any of the friendships she destroyed.

- - -

Holland was never one to waste a lot of time contemplating. The decisive man marched straight to the voting shrine and wrote down a name. There were no doubts in his mind as to which finalist played the best game, which finalist he liked better, and which finalist deserved this victory the most. They were all the same person. Mai was about to receive her first of many jury votes tonight.

"This vote is for Mai to win as much as it is for Kari to lose." Holland explained to the cameras.

It would take all day to list out all the reasons why Mai should win the game over Kari, so the Jiraiya leader narrowed down his explanations to the three 'D's: direction, determination, and domination.

"Mai entered _Survivor_ with a plan. She never lost sight of the victory. She persevered against hardships and adversaries. What followed was total domination." Holland wore one of his few rare smiles as he spoke. Come to think it, this was one of the few times he actually complimented somebody. He treated compliments the same way he treated money. He was stingy as hell, but he knew how to use them well. "People tried to get rid of her countless times, but she always prevailed in the end. Mai should win _Survivor: Konoha_ because she proved she was a true force to be reckoned with."

He folded his vote in half and dropped it into the urn.

"I like a woman who knows when to take charge. You stayed in the shadows when it was necessary, but you weren't afraid to make moves and take risks. The million dollars rightfully belongs to you, Mai. You played a hardcore game."

Holland also had some final words for the other competitor, who never stood a chance of winning his vote in the first place.

"Kari, you don't deserve to win. I admit, you did surprise me a few times tonight. But who are you trying to fool? You weren't a mastermind. You weren't a survivor. You were just a lucky girl who made it to the final two due to the kindness and stupidity of others. Consider yourself blessed to make it this far in the game. You seemed to have learnt a lot about yourself over these past thirty nine days, so good for you."

He gave a casual shrug to the camera.

"But it's not good enough to win you a million dollars, I'm afraid."

- - -

The next person to cast a vote was Harley. Like the man before him, he wrote down a three lettered name on the parchment. He even included an exclamation mark at the end for additional emphasis. The Pokemon Coordinator then proudly showed off his vote for Mai Valentine.

"You played a ferocious game, sister. You kicked everybody's asses and I love how you never felt guilty about it. And girl, you shouldn't have! I would've respected you less if you backed down from your stance, because that wouldn't be the Mai I know!" Harley flashed the camera a thumbs-up.

Mai tried to tone down her outspokenness for tonight, but old habits sometimes die hard. She will take comfort in the fact that at least one juror enjoyed her candid answers.

"You're one of the strongest, sassiest, and most independent people I've ever met in my life. Thanks for being a good friend, you fabulous bitch!" Harley grinned cheekily. "I know the million dollars will give you a lot of stability in your life, so here you go. Enjoy! Don't forget to buy me a drink afterwards!"

There wasn't much Harley wanted to say about Kari that hadn't been said already. He wasn't shy about letting his feelings known tonight. He really didn't hold back. In her defence, Kari voiced a few strong opinions of her own, even dropping an unexpected f-bomb that nobody saw coming. Harley, however, had another similar word in his mind.

"You shouldn't have called me fat on the first day." Harley's smile turned into a vengeful one. "Oh, and by the way, I've an F word for you too."

He made the thumbs down gesture with his right hand.

"_Failure_!"

And that one word perfectly summarized why he thought Kari Kamiya shouldn't win the game.

- - -

Tonight's tribal council reached a conclusion as the last juror stepped up to the voting shrine and wrote down a name. Faye, Shannon, and Bulma had previously cast their votes without much fanfare. Now, only Roy's decision remained in the balance of fate. He felt like the most powerful person on the jury, even though all seven votes technically carried the same amount of importance. As Roy stared at a blank piece of parchment, he knew whose name he wanted to write down tonight. He wasn't too impressed with this person's jury performance, but actions do speak louder than words. There was no denying she deserved to be the Sole Survivor under every definition of the term.

As he finished dotting the final 'i' in her name, Roy felt a sudden melancholy feeling that lingered within his conscience. He was upset because he didn't vote for a winner tonight. Don't get him wrong, he wanted this person to be crowned the winner very much. However, judging by how the other jurors reacted to her tonight, he knew that she won't win even though she played a stellar game. Some of the jurors were too stubborn and bitter to acknowledge her strategy, which was nothing but a shame in his opinion.

For somebody who came this far in the game, whilst exceeding everybody's expectations of her, she had to lose to a less deserving player. It just didn't seem fair.

With a sigh, Roy held up his vote and addressed each finalist to the camera.

"Kari, you don't deserve the flak you got tonight. You captured the situation perfectly. A few jurors weren't going to vote for you even if you played the best possible game for a person your age and size. For a thirteen-years-old girl to survive this long in the wilderness, you have to be so proud of yourself. Not to mention you sure surprised the heck out of some people! It's just that you stayed under the radar a little too much. You didn't expose your strategy to anyone until tonight, but by then they already made up their minds about you. You should have played more aggressively. You should have made people respect you as a competitor."

He took a deep sigh.

"Mai, you were also a great player. You made the best possible moves for yourself at all the right times, and you weren't afraid to get your hands dirty in the process. Unfortunately, your biggest downfall is how you dealt with your relationships. You could've prevented this jury backlash if you thought about the consequences before making a deal or alliance. There's no meaning behind those words if you were never going to honour them. I think Shannon made a good point tonight. You're dealing with people who have real feelings and emotions. Yes, it's just a game, but you can't betray this many people and expect all of them to be understanding. You never took that into consideration."

Roy folded his vote neatly and then dropped into the voting urn. And with that, the final outcome was determined. There was an official winner in _Survivor: Konoha_, although that person won't find out about her destiny until the live finale show a few months from now.

"It is with great regret that I say this as my final words, but the best player did not win tonight." Roy flashed a sad smile to the camera. "Even though she played one hell of a game, not everybody on the jury recognizes her prowess. She lost to an arguably less deserving player, even though that person played to the best of her capabilities as well. So, I'm neither happy nor sad about the outcome. I just feel a bit…_apathetic_ at the moment."

Roy slowly walked away from the voting shrine and returned to the jury bench. He exchanged a nervous smile with the two finalists. Iruka left to tally the votes for one last time, but he won't be revealing the results tonight. Because tribal council was over. Their collective journey in Konoha was over. This game was officially over. The players can return home at last, where they will be reunited with their friends and families again. Some people may leave a little richer than the others, but all of them were equally enriched by this experience of a lifetime.

As Roy gave farewells to his fellow competitors in the game, most people noticed that he wore a sad smile throughout the night. He joked it was because he will miss them all so much, but the more observant players knew he was upset for a different reason. They won't find out why until several months from now, after the castaways were reunited for the live vote revelation on finale night.

Until then, Roy will be waiting patiently for the official outcome of _Survivor: Konoha_.

What he was certain would be a very bittersweet victory.

- - -

**FINALE NIGHT**

Thousands of _Survivor_ fans erupted in cheers as Iruka arrived at the television studio at last. The host greeted the fans with an energetic wave. He was met with an even more enthusiastic response from the audience. The atmosphere tonight was absolutely electrifying. There were legions of Mai and Kari fans scattered all across the crowd. Two prominent figures in the front row were Joey and Serenity Wheeler, proudly representing the pro-Mai portion of the audience. Sitting nearby was Tai Kamiya and his parents, along with Kari's dearest friends, who all chanted her name and were soon joined by the people around them. Naturally, the Mai fans tried to drown out these voices with their own chants, but their volume was significantly weaker. That couldn't be helped. A large majority of the audience simply preferred Kari to take home the victory tonight.

"In a few moments, we'll crown the official champion of _Survivor: Konoha_!" Iruka exclaimed.

The audience cheered thunderously.

On the stage, Mai and Kari were both humbled by the overwhelming support from the crowd. Mai, especially, never imagined she would have as many fans as she did tonight. The blonde thought for certain that she would be perceived as the villainess against a sweetheart like Kari. But for every detractor there was, she had twice the number of supporters, who all admired the intelligent and cutthroat game that she played. Even the final two in the previous series, _Survivor: Dewford Islands_, had openly voiced their support in favour of Mai. Both former finalists endorsed her as the rightful and most deserving Sole Survivor.

Kari was the audience's favourite.

Mai was the previous winner's favourite.

But who was the jury's favourite?

"Are you ready!?" Iruka turned his head towards the crowd. A unanimous cheer echoed across the studio. "Before I reveal the results, I'd like to remind everyone these are all votes to _win_. So, you definitely want to see your name here tonight!" The crowd was going crazy at this point. The suspense almost seemed painful. "Okay, for the last time ever, I'll read the votes!"

The two finalists, who were holding hands, giggled in anticipation. They felt nervous and excited at the same time. How could they not be? One of them was about to become a millionaire!

Without further ado, the host inserted his hand in the voting urn and drew out the first ballot.

"First vote…"

Kari took a deep breath.

Mai also took a deep breath.

Iruka flipped over the vote.

_"Kari."_

The audience burst into jubilant cheers. Kari just laughed and covered her face in embarrassment. She couldn't believe it. She got a vote! One vote! And that vote came from Meryl Stryfe, of all people. Even though the two women lived with each other for less than a week, the petite insurance agent still awarded Kari with this jury vote. Because Meryl, who had always been a moralistic person, believed the winner should be an honest competitor rather than a conniving backstabber. So, she followed her heart and voted for the more _ethical_ player. Besides, Kari was an underdog in this game much like Meryl herself ("And us underdogs have to stick together!" Meryl added jokingly, when asked to explain this decision). If good things do happen to people who worked hard, then Meryl wanted these good things to happen to _Kari_ in particular.

Kari felt extremely thankful for her first vote, and what could possibly be her only vote for the evening.

But when Iruka revealed the second ballot, it displayed the same four letters.

_"Kari."_

That was Shannon's vote. As expected, he voted for his guardian angel to win. How could he not return the favour, after everything she had done for him in this game? She was the one who cast the mysterious third vote. She was the one who initiated an alliance with him after the merge. And she was the one who remained loyal to him until the bitter end.

She was Kari Kamiya, who now led the race with two votes.

Kari quickly mouthed the words "thank you" to the swordsman. This second vote had been a pleasant surprise, but she didn't expect her name to show up again for the rest of tonight.

"Third vote…"

Iruka paused for a dramatic effect before he revealed the vote.

There was a different name this time.

_"Mai."_

Just when the outcome was looking one-sided, the blonde pulled through with her first, and certainly not last, vote for the evening. Those Mai fans in the audience remained quiet thus far, but when they do celebrate, they go all out. Releasing all their pent-up energy in one go, a large portion of the crowd roared in a rambunctious manner. Finally!

Mai first exchanged grins with Holland. Then, she turned towards his wife with an even wider grin. Talho, who was pregnant with her second baby, grinned back at the blonde. After the game was over, the two women immediately cleared any misunderstandings between them. Nothing had happened on the infamous reward trip – and they decided to leave it at that. They let bygones be bygones. There was no need to dig up the past. But in a surprising turn of events, Talho and Mai _clicked_ almost immediately. They saw so many similarities in each other that they became instant best friends. As a result, Holland's wife became one of the loudest pro-Mai fans in the crowd tonight. Who would have thought?

Iruka read out the fourth vote next.

_"Mai."_

The next ballot was easily distinguished by a tiny exclamation mark at the end of Mai's name. It was, of course, Harley's signature vote. The flamboyant Pokemon Coordinator gave his friend a mischievous wink, which she returned with an exaggerated air kiss. Muah, muah!

There was now a tie at two votes apiece.

"Three votes left." Iruka clarified before he pulled out another ballot from the urn. "Fifth vote…"

He flipped over the vote.

_"Kari."_

The DigiDestined was beyond shocked to see her name come up for a third time. Once was satisfying enough. Twice was quite a pleasant surprise. But a third time just seemed absolutely mind-blowing. Kari never expected to receive three votes tonight. She'd be lucky to get just one. She thought she was destined to exit this game as a gracious runner-up. Now, quite unexpectedly, the young girl was one vote away from winning a million dollars.

Kari scanned across the jury for the right person to thank, but she won't find out until the game was over that Faye Valentine had cast the third vote in her favour. The bounty huntress made her decision based on a simple albeit shallow reason: she just liked Kari better. For a woman who took the game so personally all the time, it came as no surprise that Faye harboured a long-lasting grudge against Mai, which never got resolved. Had the blonde made even the slightest effort to reconcile, like Kari had done, then there might have been a different outcome tonight. Mai may have been a more deserving player, and she may have played with an overall better strategy, but Faye refused to vote for somebody who didn't earn her respect as a human being.

"If the next vote is for Kari…" Iruka wasn't able to finish his sentence before he was drowned out by anxious cheers from the crowd.

Because if the next vote had Kari's name written on it, then she will have officially won the game.

Sitting in the audience, TK Takaishi could only cross his fingers and _hope_ for the best.

Iruka pulled out the sixth ballot from the urn.

He slowly unfolded the vote.

And he turned it over.

Three capital letters were displayed to the world.

_"Mai."_

The situation now escalated to a three-versus-three tie.

The two finalists exchanged giddy glances with each other. They couldn't believe how close the results were. And it all came down to one deciding vote in the end.

Kari tightened her grip on the blonde's hand.

While Mai whispered good luck to her best friend.

The entire audience was pumped with excitement. Even the jury members were waiting anxiously on the edge of their seats.

Meanwhile, Roy flashed a bittersweet smile when he recognized his handwriting on the ballot. Right then and there, he knew the outcome before the final vote was revealed.

Because all along, he predicted that the best player won't necessarily win this game.

His prophecy came true at last.

Which meant…

"The winner of _Survivor: Konoha_ is…"

Iruka retrieved the seventh and final vote from the urn.

As soon as he turned it over, the audience screamed in joy.

_"Kari!"_

Shocked beyond her wildest imagination, Kari almost toppled over in her seat when she heard the official announcement. The whole world seemed to be spinning rapidly around her. What just happened still did not register in her brain even as Mai gave her an affectionate hug, followed by a clearly emotional Tai, and the rest of her family. It wasn't until the other players, including the exuberant pair of Asuka and Guy, emerged on stage and crowded around her before the truth sank in. Kari Kamiya, the youngest winner of _Survivor_ ever, had just become a millionaire.

As she hugged and thanked each person one by one, Kari made sure she thanked Bulma especially for casting the deciding vote. What won the inventor over was a solid jury performance – shocking revelations, gutsy admissions about her strategy, f-bombs and all – from the one girl whom she had always underestimated. Plus, the underdog shtick resonated with Bulma immensely, since she saw so much of her own strategy mirrored in Kari's game. Both of them were devious, crafty, and perhaps a little underhanded as well. But more importantly, Kari lasted thirty nine days without ever compromising her friendly personality. At the end of the day, Bulma didn't care so much about who played the best game, or who deserved the money more. She just wanted to vote for the most _likable_ person to win.

Poor Mai Valentine, who came so close to the million dollars, but she ultimately lost due to a jury that could not appreciate her ruthless strategy. Had she not betrayed almost every juror, or had she not broken so many promises with everybody, or even had she been slightly more diplomatic when voting people out, this victory might have been hers. But karma eventually caught up to a player who backstabbed too many people without batting an eye. Mai didn't lose the game because of Bulma's vote. Or Faye's vote. Or even Shannon's vote. It was Meryl's vote – the one that was supposedly secure in her pocket – which cost her near the end. Mai had not supported her friends when they needed her the most, just like how Meryl did not come through for Mai during her most crucial moment. It was an ironic, and very expensive, payback of sorts.

"You deserve it. You really deserve to win." Mai gave her friend another hug. Not only was she a commendable runner-up, but she was also a very gracious loser. If she couldn't win this game, then she couldn't think of a better person who should. "Good things _do_ happen to people who worked hard to make good things happen!"

"Thanks. You were great too." Kari remained polite and modest as always. She smiled triumphantly at everybody, while wiping a tear of joy from her eye. "I can't believe I did it. I actually won _Survivor_…"

Kari repeated the phrase to herself, this time with a more confident laugh.

"I actually won _Survivor_!"

Just hearing those words come out of her mouth was worth a million dollars. At the beginning, Kari never thought it was possible for her to win the game. How could a naïve little girl who didn't know anything about survival possibly defeat fifteen other individuals? She would have been happy if she simply learned something important about herself before she left. Thus, every single day in her _Survivor_ journey had been a valuable learning experience. And it was tonight when she learned one of the most important lessons in her life. Anything was possible in this world. All she had to do was try.

_Survivor: Konoha_ ended in a way few people expected. Among many notorious backstabbers and schemers, the winner was a young girl who played a relatively honest game, who seldom got into an argument, and who always stayed true to herself. She wasn't the strongest or the smartest player, but she had the _warmest_ personality out of everybody, and that was what won her the grand prize in the end. Kari Kamiya, the youngest winner ever, will be remembered as a devoted friend, a benevolent competitor, a persevering underdog, and of course, a sole survivor.

- - -

**Author's Notes:** After almost two years and over two hundred fifty thousand words, the story is finally finished! Thank you so much for your insightful reviews and unconditional support! There were times I doubted if I could finish this story, but reading all of your helpful comments motivated me to continue. So, thank you, thank you, thank you! I couldn't say it enough!

For the last time, please take the survey available in my profile and website. And don't forget to review! I would love to hear your thoughts on the ending, the winner, or just the overall story. In case you're wondering, there will be another instalment. I'm going to take a short break first, but I'll be back! Thanks again for your support!


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